The Israeli government has been gearing up to launch a high-speed electric train connecting Tel Aviv to Occupied Jerusalem.
The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem rail project which costs an estimated NIS 7 billion ($1.8 billion) and has been in the works for years will cut travel time down significantly to a 30-minute ride.
The train will reach high speeds and when fully operational it will carry up to 85000 passengers daily and 4000 per hour. Another 2500 passengers can be carried by the train in emergency cases.
Khalil Tufakji from the Arab Studies Society has warned that the Israeli occupation authorities seek to link Jewish settlements in eastern Jerusalem to the holy city and from there to Tel Aviv via that project.
