Israel Cancels Project Barring Palestinians From Some Buses
The bus plan was conceived by the Israeli Defense Ministry, apparently in response to pressure from Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank who have long demanded separate transportation for the Palestinians.
The plan called for Palestinians who work in Israel to return to the West Bank at the end of the day through one of four designated Israeli checkpoints, and then take Palestinian buses to their towns and villages. They would no longer have been allowed to take Israeli buses traveling in the direction of West Bank settlements, which cuts down on travel time for Palestinians who live along the way.
.. Representatives for the settlers had complained that the buses were overcrowded and unpleasant, in addition to the concerns about security.
Mordhay Yogev, a legislator from the Jewish Home party, was quoted in Haaretz at the time saying that the situation was “unreasonable” and that “the buses are filled with Arabs.”