The carmageddon is nigh

Israelis are famously resilient when it comes to war and living under the threat of terror attacks, but there are some seemingly mundane issues that can propel residents of the Jewish state into fetal position, prompting an uncharacteristic display of mass panic. Extreme weather, for one, or as evident by the Hebrew newspapers on Tuesday, large construction projects and the traffic jams they are expected to engender.

With the beginning of the construction of the Tel Aviv Light Rail, Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel Hayom dedicate their front-page coverage to the “The state’s traffic jam,” and the “National traffic jam,” as their headlines respectively read.

“The good news: 45 years after Golda [Meir’s] government presented the plan to build the Tel Aviv metro, on Sunday the construction of the light rail will commence on the streets of the city,” reports Yedioth. “The bad news: After we found out that Tel Aviv is expected to become one large traffic jam, yesterday the police announced that this is simply the tip of the iceberg. The traffic jams are expected to spread to Netanya and Ashdod, and to cause drivers from north to south to rue the moment they got into their cars.”

The paper proceeds to outline the extent of the construction, map out the affected areas, and sow collective road rage.

The daily also features an interview with a Tel Aviv driver-on-the street, a restaurant owner who fears his business will suffer from the construction, and an accountant who says he’s “captive” to a three-year-lease for his office.

“It’s going to be difficult. Very difficult even,” writes Aharon Lapidot in a column in Israel Hayom. “The pessimists say that a large traffic jam is expected from Ashdod to Netanya for the next decade. They promised us that the ‘red line’ of the Tel Aviv Light Rail, the underground line, will open in 2021 — some six years from today. But past experience doesn’t bode well [for the deadline].”

Still, he concludes, that “in the end, it will be good.”

“It will raise real estate prices in the satellite cities, help job-seekers and students, broaden the offerings of apartments, and improve the standard of living for everyone. Until then — we need some patience. A lot of patience.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman’s announcement that medical cannabis will be sold in pharmacies and more doctors will be permitted to prescribe it is also spotlighted in Tuesday’s papers.

Over in Haaretz, the ultra-Orthodox MK is featured in its political cartoon getting high.

The paper reports that many of the 22,000 Israeli patients who use medicinal marijuana wait months to receive it due to the bureaucratic hurdles. According to Yedioth, only 36 doctors in Israel today are licensed to prescribe it.

Matan Vaanunu, an activist for medical marijuana who suffers from fibromyalgia, welcomes the move in a Yedioth column.

“For the past seven years I’ve used it to ease my pain, but only last year I received official permission from the Health Ministry. Until then, I would get the cannabis on the street, exactly as it sounds,” he writes. “I always told my doctors that I smoked illegally and I didn’t mind saying so… The medical marijuana opened a new world for me, freed me from pain. I can’t imagine living a normal life without using it. Without it, I would be bedridden with fierce pain.”

Israel Hayom lauds the decision as “a happy surprise” for patients. The papers note, however, that the bid is pending a High Court decision.

In its editorial, Haaretz also slams Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid for criticizing the Breaking the Silence NGO, and urges the Zionist Union to break its silence on what it says are Lapid’s attempts to silence the organization.

“Breaking the Silence is a legitimate organization. In a democratic country, its activities should be encouraged, not silenced. It is apparently one of the few groups that views the Israel Defense Forces’ morality as a priority,” it writes, noting that the IDF opened has investigations based on testimonials published by the rights group.

“The opposition’s silence in light of the attacks on Breaking the Silence reflects the ideological collapse of Zionist Union. Instead of being afraid of public opinion, one should fight to change it. Breaking the Silence is vital to Israel,” it writes.