Israel Railways

Illustrative: The Jerusalem Light Rail passing the Notre Dame Pontifical Institute. (Shmuel Bar-Am)

March 15, 2018, 5:42 pm

Transportation minister pushing for West Bank light rail

Israel Katz asks transit authority to assess three route options; all three reach the city-settlement of Ariel and will likely extend to flashpoint Tapuah Junction

By Jacob Magid

A bridge on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv fast train route, July 2017 (Gidi Avinary/Flash90)

February 21, 2018, 11:37 am

Jerusalem-Tel Aviv fast train service to be delayed until October

Israel Railways says still waiting for safety permits, undercutting transportation minister's pledge that new 30-minute route would open in March

By Sue Surkes

Transportation Minister Israel Katz during a test drive of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv express train in central Israel on January 16, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

January 16, 2018, 7:55 pm

Transportation minister takes high-speed Tel Aviv-Jerusalem train for test

Israel Katz takes short ride on electric train, supposed to enter service in March, though 40 kilometers of route said incomplete

By TOI staff

Construction of a bridge going over Emek HaArazim outside Jerusalem, for the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv fast train, seen on December 20, 2015. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

January 9, 2018, 7:11 pm

Transportation minister: Jerusalem-Tel Aviv fast train to launch by Passover

Israel Katz promises first train will run before festival in late March; travel will reportedly be free for first three months

By TOI staff

December 27, 2017, 7:21 pm

Former mufti of Jerusalem rails at plan for Trump train stop at Western Wall

Palestinian cleric Ikrema Sabri says adding US president's name does not give scheme legitimacy

By AP and TOI staff

US President Donald Trump (r) with Rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinowitz (c) at the Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem on May 22, 2017. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

December 27, 2017, 12:28 pm

Planned Western Wall train station to be named for Trump — minister

Yisrael Katz approves extension of Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high speed line to Old City, reserving special honor for US president

By TOI staff and AP

Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, in his office in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 9, 2017. (AP/Dan Balilty)

December 13, 2017, 7:48 pm

In rare remarks to Saudis, minister says Riyadh could broker peace deal

Yisrael Katz also envisions rail link between Haifa and Gulf to bypass Iran, in interview with London-based Saudi-owned news site

By Sue Surkes

Illustrative photo of an Israeli train station (Roni Schutzer/Flash90)

December 12, 2017, 3:31 pm

The mermaids on the train to Tel Aviv

An American, a German, a Frenchwoman and a Czech were all riding Israel Railways

By Sarah Tuttle-Singer

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) congratulates then-incoming Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman at the Health Ministry in Jerusalem, on May 20, 2015. (Amos Ben Gershom/ GPO/Flash90)

November 26, 2017, 9:54 pm

Government reaches compromise over Sabbath work impasse

Netanyahu, ultra-Orthodox parties, agree to retain status quo -- mini-markets will open and, in special circumstances, infrastructure work will continue on Jewish day of rest

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office, November 26, 2017. (AFP/GALI TIBBON)

November 26, 2017, 4:39 pm

Netanyahu summons ultra-Orthodox ministers over Sabbath work impasse

PM forced to cancel gathering of coalition chiefs after one minister resigns, another skips cabinet meeting

By Stuart Winer and TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speaks with then-health minister Yaakov Litzman of the United Torah Judaism party, left, at the Knesset on March 28, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)

November 26, 2017, 12:21 pm

On the fast train to troubletown

Pundits don't know if Yaakov Litzman is really out of the government, but they are sure that the crisis behind his resignation spells trouble for Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox

By Joshua Davidovich

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman attends a committee meeting at the Knesset, November 14, 2017. (Flash90)

November 26, 2017, 8:52 am

Ultra-Orthodox health minister resigns over Shabbat railway works

Yaakov Litzman's United Torah Judaism party staying in ruling coalition; Netanyahu says he won't appoint replacement to health portfolio

By TOI staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (c) speaks with then-health minister Yaakov Litzman (l) at the Knesset on March 28, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

November 25, 2017, 10:54 pm

Netanyahu, holding out hope for Litzman, to assume health portfolio — report

If health minister follows through with resignation over Sabbath railway works, PM said resolved not to appoint a new cabinet member in his place

By TOI staff

November 24, 2017, 4:31 pm

Netanyahu hopes health minister won’t quit, but says coalition not affected

UTJ's Yaakov Litzman declares he is stepping down as health minister over infrastructure work on rail lines carried out on Shabbat

By TOI staff

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely in Washington, November 2017. (Shmulik Almany/MFA)

November 24, 2017, 2:59 pm

Hotovely said Americans aren’t fighting. Now everybody is

Deputy foreign minister's remarks -- and ensuing outrage -- have everyone in a huff, from those actually aggrieved, to those mistaken for Americans, to those defending her

By Joshua Davidovich