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Resumption of Israeli train service derails, again, over virus fears

Cabinet will decide on a new date for the country’s rail lines to open.

A view of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train, over the HaArazim Valley ("Valley of Cedars") just outside of Jerusalem, Sept. 25, 2018. Photo by Yossi Zamir/Flash90.
A view of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train, over the HaArazim Valley (“Valley of Cedars”) just outside of Jerusalem, Sept. 25, 2018. Photo by Yossi Zamir/Flash90.

Israeli trains will not resume operations on Monday as previously planned, due to the new wave of coronavirus infections.

The Cabinet is going to meet on Monday to decide on a new date for the trains to start running, according to Ynet.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein had planned to restart the trains on Monday, after three previous delays, but were overruled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 cases.

Following three new COVID-19 fatalities in Israel over the weekend, bringing the national death toll to 297, there is rising concern among health officials regarding the public’s seeming laxity regarding coronavirus regulations.

The most concentrated outbreak has been in the schools, some 106 of which have shut down in the past several days—14 since Friday alone.

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