Demonstrators protesting construction of the Yerushalayim light rail once again disrupted service Wednesday night, blocking the tracks along Bar-Lev Boulevard before continuing their protest near Rechov Bar-Ilan. The demonstration temporarily halted rail operations and added to mounting delays and financial losses tied to the ongoing campaign against the project.

Protesters gathered along the route of the light rail on Bar-Lev Boulevard, preventing trains from passing and disrupting service for commuters.

Officers from the Yerushalayim District Police, along with Border Police personnel, responded to the scene. A police commander declared the gathering an unlawful disturbance and instructed demonstrators to clear the tracks. When they refused, security forces moved in to disperse the crowd, eventually reopening the route.

At the same time, a separate protest continued near Bar-Ilan, where demonstrators gathered along another section of the light rail construction zone. Police remained at the scene as the protest continued.

As a result of the demonstration, the Yerushalayim Light Rail announced that train service between the Yekutiel Adam Station and the Central Bus Station had been suspended. Approximately 30 minutes later, limited service resumed, operating only between Hadassah Ein Kerem and Givat HaMivtar Station in both directions.

Wednesday night’s protest was the latest in a series of recurring demonstrations targeting the light rail construction near Bar-Ilan Street. The area has repeatedly seen road blockages, confrontations with police, and damage to infrastructure and construction equipment.

The economic impact of the sustained protests has become increasingly significant. According to published estimates, vandalism, construction delays, and repeated disruptions have caused approximately 400 million shekels in losses to the Green Line project.

Those delays have also forced officials to revise the project’s timetable. Sections of the line where construction proceeded without disruption are expected to open later this year, while the Bar-Ilan Street segment has reportedly been pushed back by at least a year, with completion now projected for the end of 2027.

Despite the mounting financial losses and repeated delays, the nightly demonstrations have continued, and Wednesday’s protest once again succeeded in disrupting light rail service in Yerushalayim.

{Matzav.com}