The National Security Committee, chaired by MK Tzvika Foghel (Otzma Yehudit), convened on Wednesday for a quick debate on the topic of “Severe violence against public transportation drivers.”
Public transportation drivers experience verbal and physical violence on a daily basis. The violence problem has significantly worsened over the past year. Recently, the violence reached new heights with the attempted lynching of two public transportation drivers who work for the Superbus company in Jerusalem. Fortunately, the drivers were only injured and not killed. The incident was covered by all the media outlets and was sharply condemned by President Isaac Herzog and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion.
In the debate, Committee Chair MK Foghel said “Many public transportation drivers frequently experience physical and verbal violence. In some cases, the violence is also expressed in acts of vandalism of property in the public transportation system. We want to hear today from the government ministries and relevant parties in order to bring about proper solutions. Public transportation drivers are public servants, and we will do what is necessary to protect them. This issue is very important to the agenda of Israeli citizens, and we will hold a follow-up discussion on it in the near future.”
MK Naama Lazimi (Labor) said, “Violence against public transportation drivers is a disgraceful phenomenon that has existed for many years. I submitted a proposal to recognize assaults on bus drivers as assaults on public servants. Proper protection must be provided to public transportation drivers, and at the same time, efforts must be made to recruit more drivers, due to the shortage of drivers operating the buses across the country.”
Ministry of Transport and Road Safety official Adv. Doron Turgeman said, “Unfortunately, there is no single body that collects the data. The Ministry of Transport is supposed to do this, and we are currently in the process of standardizing the reporting of incidents involving violence. Assaults on drivers are very serious and we are addressing them, but it should be remembered that there are also cases of drivers assaulting passengers or behaving inappropriately. The Director General of the Ministry of National Security and the Director General of the Ministry of Transport are working closely to grant authority to inspectors and security personnel on public transportation. There is a serious trust issue, and we are trying to bring about a situation in which the personal safety of drivers and passengers will improve as a result of our actions. Our plan is ready and awaits legislative amendments and the publication of a tender accordingly. Soon we will begin a pilot program in several major cities in Israel.”
MK Gilad Kariv (Labor) said, “It is necessary to investigate why the professional measures that were decided upon are not being implemented on the ground. In many cases, the violence against drivers is rooted in nationalist or gender-based violence. A harsh response is needed in every instance of violence against public transportation drivers. The police must respond severely to every expression of violence in public transportation.”
MK Alon Schuster (Blue and White – National Unity Party) said, “Public transportation should be a pleasant and protected environment. We need to persuade more people to use public transportation and abandon private vehicles. For that to happen, proper protection must be provided to drivers and passengers alike.”
MK Ahmad Tibi (Hadash-Ta’al) said, “Most of the assaults on bus drivers are against Arab drivers. There are racist elements in the assaults against drivers, and this must be addressed accordingly. The violent incidents are not being handled properly. There is a phenomenon of young people attacking bus drivers and documenting it on social media. We request that the police provide accurate data on driver assaults in recent years.”
MK Waleed Alhwashla (United Arab List-Ra’am) said, “In 2025, we are witnessing a rise in assaults against bus drivers, especially in Jerusalem and Be’er Sheva. If the police do not address this disgraceful phenomenon with a firm hand, it may end in disaster.”
Uri Metuki of the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) said, “We need to promote the possibility of filing lawsuits against the assailants. A security unit should be established to ensure the safety of passengers and drivers, and in addition, a sealed driver’s cabin should be made available to every driver. We at the Histadrut cannot remain indifferent to the disgraceful phenomenon of violence against public transportation drivers. If necessary, we will proceed with a move to shut down public transportation in Israel.”
Tamar Ohana of the Power2Workers organization said, “We represent some 5,000 public transportation drivers. We are witnessing more severe and more frequent violence. Just this week, there were four assault cases – this is intolerable and unacceptable. A driver who experiences violence finds it difficult to return to his job and perform it as required. In the past year alone, from the drivers we represent, 30 reports of incidents of violence have been received.”
Sassi Sadeh of the National Workers’ Union said, “In a survey we conducted, we found that most bus drivers have experienced violence during their working years. Many drivers express distrust in the system and therefore do not report the assaults. After a struggle we led, the drivers were recognized as public servants in cases where they were harmed.”
A representative of the workers’ committee of the Kavim bus company said “Our drivers experience assaults on a daily basis, but no driver plans to harm public transportation passengers in return. We were promised many things and actions to protect us, but we do not see them being implemented on the ground. We hope that following this discussion, things will change.”
MK Aida Touma Sliman (Hadash-Ta’al) said, “A unit should be established with the goal of examining the needs of drivers and ensuring that the correct steps are being taken on the ground. Until now, the police have not succeeded in addressing violence against drivers effectively enough. A database should be created and the numbers should be monitored.”
MK Sameer Bin Said (Hadash-Ta’al) said, “Bus drivers, like doctors, are of great importance to society in Israel. The phenomenon must be addressed at the proper pace, and it is very important to define the drivers as public servants in all fields.”
Ministry of Transport official David Yosef said “The authority to enforce lies with the Israel Police. We at the ministry have initiated a pilot program to provide first aid to drivers who experience assaults. We want to ensure the safety of drivers and inspectors in public transportation, as well as the safety of passengers. We have begun mapping areas that are more prone to violent incidents.”
A senior Israel Police official said, “Assaults on public transportation drivers are handled under the definition of assaults on public servants. The police handle 90 percent of the criminal offenses in public transportation, and the State Attorney’s Office handles the rest. Prosecutors are instructed to treat every assault with the utmost seriousness. We are tightening regulations, and in many cases consider assaults [as acts committeed under] ‘aggravated circumstances.'”
