Jerusalem Arabs are continuing to target the Jerusalem Light Rail in violence intended to ensure the transit system will “never pass through Shuafat,” a northern Arab suburb of the capital.
Shuafat is also home to the family of 16 year old Muhammad Abu Khdeir, who was murdered last week. Six Jewish suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the case, and three have reportedly confessed to the crime.
Three Light Rail stops were utterly destroyed last week by Arab rioters, despite the fact that the rail is used by Arab commuters on a daily basis, as well as Jews, to reach their jobs in the city.
Nevertheless, extremist Arabs have said they are determined to destroy the Light Rail’s infrastructure to ensure the rail system cannot pass through Shuafat “ever.” Officials, meanwhile, have said it will take months to repair the damage to the stops once the violence has ceased.
The route of the Jerusalem Light Rail currently ends at Ammunition Hill (Givat HaTachmoshit), as it is no longer possible to use the infrastructure at Shuafat and Beit Hanina. This also cuts off access for the numerous Jewish residents who live in the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov.