“The operational security unit has begun operating in the field, and this is a practical and clear expression of the policy I am leading: zero tolerance for violence.”
Zero tolerance for violence. A special security unit of the Ministry of Transportation has begun operating in public transportation, in several cities across the country. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative by Minister Regev, aimed at providing a real-time response to the phenomenon of violence in public transportation and ensuring the safety of drivers and passengers.
The new unit will operate as a rapid operational response force in the field, with a zero-tolerance approach to violence. The unit, which began operating today, will include teams riding motorcycles, a control and monitoring center operating 24 hours a day, in full coordination with the Israel Police. The unit’s goal is to ensure rapid physical arrival at incident scenes, strengthen deterrence, immediate treatment of violence incidents, and increase the sense of security for drivers and passengers.
The move is being launched against the backdrop of a worrying increase in violence incidents against bus drivers, inspectors, and field workers. The Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety understood that post-incident treatment is not enough, and an operational, present, and rapid response in the field itself is required, and it is now being implemented in practice.
The security unit operates as a dedicated and operational unit, with a short response time and physical arrival at the incident point within a few minutes. The unit’s activity combines visible presence, deterrence, immediate treatment, and a real strengthening of the sense of security, both for drivers and passengers. Alongside the operational force, the Ministry also operates complementary tools, including advanced technological means, a personal security app for drivers, and systematic data analysis for lessons learned and continuous improvement of the response in the field. The unit is operated by the company “Reshef Bitachon,” which won the tender from the Ministry of Transportation. Retired Commissioner Doron Turgeman was tasked with establishing the unit.
In the first phase, the unit will operate in seven cities chosen based on incident analysis and field data: Jerusalem, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, beit shemesh, Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit, and Rahat. The Ministry of Transportation emphasizes that after lessons are learned from the first phase, the expansion of the unit’s activity to additional cities will be examined, as part of an ongoing effort to change norms, increase deterrence, and protect public transportation.
Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Brig. Gen. (Res.) **Miri Regev:** “Violence in public transportation is crossing a red line. Drivers and field workers cannot and should not suffer from threats, violence, and vandalism while providing essential service to millions of citizens. We are moving from words to actions. The operational security unit has begun operating in the field, and this is a practical and clear expression of the policy I am leading: zero tolerance for violence.”
Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, **Moshe Ben Zaken:** “The operation of the unit signifies a real change in dealing with violence in public transportation. This is an operational response force, with rapid arrival time, a control and monitoring center, and full coordination with enforcement agencies. This is a move that strengthens the security of drivers and passengers and ensures continuous and safe public transportation service.”
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