The city of Jerusalem is moving forward with a plan to build a cable car system that will bring visitors to and from the Western Wall. One line will connect Dung Gate (the Old City gate closest to the Western Wall) with the Mount of Olives to the east, and a second line will connect Dung Gate with the Khan Theater on Hinnom Ridge to the west, Israel Hayom reported. The system will be able to transport 6,000 passengers per hour. Each of the 1.6 kilometer routes will take around four minutes to …More

A series of new bus lines intended for Palestinians working in Israel has sparked controversy, leading to the torching of two buses in the dark of night. The bus lines, which launched Sunday, drew almost instant criticism from protesters, who called the routes “apartheid” and “segregated.” Advocates, however, pointed out that Palestinians holding employment documents for the Jewish state are still allowed by law to use other lines within Israel. “This is a goodwill gesture,” …More

Flying cars might sound like something out of “The Jetsons,” but the concept may soon find reality on the streets of Tel Aviv. A NASA inspired PRT vehicle, short for personal rapid transit, is just years from potential commercial use. The skyTran craft has been in the works for years, thanks to efforts by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California. Now, organizers are in talks to bring the system to Israel, pointing to the skyTran’s affordable, green-friendly attributes. “We are the …More

Better Place, which is bringing electric car charging stations to Israel, will lay off up to half of its staff. The layoffs of 150 to 200 employees from a staff of 400 will come from the research and development, and infrastructure departments, Ynet reported. The company's new CEO, Evan Thornley, started this month after Shai Agassi, the Israeli-American founder of Better Place, was ousted by its board. Agassi then resigned from the company's board of directors. Another round of layoffs is expected in the near …More

A group of environmental activists hiked in the Jerusalem Forest yesterday to protest a new multi-million dollar transportation project that would provide easier access to Jerusalem from the west. Hundreds gathered under the trees to demand the new road project be scrapped or a new plan be drawn up that protects the wooded region. “We are celebrating the Jerusalem Forest today because we might not be able to do so in the future if the construction plans bear fruit,” Paul Lenga said on behalf of Green …More

This week, Jerusalem’s light rail drove off, leaving a baby in her carriage on board and a mother still on the platform. This is the latest incident in a string of unfortunate events, from the stabbing of a female soldier to rocks thrown at the light rail cars, that have plagued Jerusalem’s much hyped transit system since it opened in August 2011. “Train passengers are dissatisfied,” City Council Member Yael Entebbe told a transportation committee in May. “Arrival times have been …More

A US judge ruled Friday that a pro-Israel bus ad, equating jihadists with “savages,” be allowed to run in New York. The decision ended a lawsuit by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, which submitted the proposed ad, against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. MTA oversees New York area transportation systems like public buses, the subway and commuter trains. The ad was initially rejected, as MTA objected to its demeaning language. The poster reads: “In any war between the civilized …More

For the first time in four years, Jerusalem woke to a fresh dusting of snow. Though the flurries, which began at 4:30 a.m. Friday, quickly began to melt, schools and public transportation throughout the city were shut down because of the inclement weather. High winds and intense precipitation Thursday uprooted trees and downed power lines across the country. Dangerous icy roads made travel difficult, and police were instructed to stop any public buses coming from Tel Aviv to the capital. The Golan Heights …More

Israeli and Chinese governments will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to officially green light the construction of a railway from Nahal Tzin to the Southern city of Eilat in Israel. Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz recently met with his counterpart in Beijing to cement the cooperative agreement. According to Katz, his visit lead to the breakthrough that will enable Asian transportation and infrastructure companies to send representatives to Israel to work on the proposed railway. The 112 mile …More