Greeny News

standfirst here

over 10 years people in Jerusalem complained bitterly road works and congestion of the new tram line. But since it opened Aug. 19, residents flocked on board to visit the city, passing by historic monuments and modern housing schemes. The new line begins to Pisgat Zeev, north of the city. This district, one of the most densely populated, is a Jewish settlement in an area where most of the population is Arab, east of the Green Line separating Israel and Jordan before the 1967 Yom Kippur War.

controversy that the original tram connects the west of the city of East Jerusalem is occupied territory, according to the international community. French companies involved in construction projects have been prosecuted in France for violating international law. The tram terminus is based on the slope of the curve, surrounded by low buildings. On platforms and in most cars (men) caps, hats or black robes and favored by Orthodox Jews.

After four stops of the line between the Arab neighborhoods of Beit Hanina and Shuafat, where Mohsen and his wife Fatima goes. These Palestinians believe that the tram is "useful" but "politically questionable." Mohsen said: "The settlements are illegal and not connected, but because they use my land, I use the tram .." Mr. Abu Atta, a resident of Shuafat, chose not to use the tram at all, "as a matter of principle." "The line runs through our neighborhood, but it is not there to improve our quality of life much less. The council only collects garbage and keep the lights on the street, but [the tram] is a way of asserting sovereignty over East Jerusalem. "Shmuel Elgrably, a spokesman for the transit system, disagrees." Of course it's more just for the two groups of people who used public transportation in Jerusalem - Orthodox Jews and Arabs - which have the advantage of the line that Israel has no land, so that the tram uses existing routes .. "

security in Jerusalem tramway is tight. Guards uniform and simple platforms, and control inside the car. The windows are not really bullets, but can handle stones and Molotov cocktails. Up Shivtei Israel stop, the line is near the center of the city, which borders the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim. Tsippy, the mother of three, is very pleased with the cars are very comfortable, easy access for strollers - "It's great for pregnant women, much easier than the bus" - important in a city where the rate fertility rate is about four children per woman. Being a very conservative, some Haredim (fearing God) residents lobbied for a physical bar trams separate the sexes.

fall line of the old town, past the walls built by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1535 around during the Ottoman Empire. At the crossroads of a tram stop for a further period of three seconds so that passengers can enjoy the view from the windows.

locals waiting for the tram to start running in early 2009 and the end of 2010. In the end, was released in August, but in reality, is still in beta testing and officially opened just a few weeks, once a few minor problems have been eliminated. The trams stop at times because of power outages, or mysteriously disappear from screens in the control center.