Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz announced Wednesday at a briefing with Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan that a new rail line is being planned for Samaria.
The plan is controversial because the construction will take place on “disputed” territory, even though such a line will obviously benefit everyone.
The new railway is being planned to serve western Shomron (Samaria), with a stop in Alfei Menashe. Long on the drawing board, there have also been plans to build a new road to serve Samaria communities north of Ariel with Highway 6.
But the Samaria train line will allow residents in the region to reach Tel Aviv within a half hour, maximum, finally making it possible for them to commute to work and earn decent salaries. Nearby towns around Tel Aviv will also be within a five-minute train stop.
The Samaria line will dovetail with the train line planned to run between Lod and Hadera, Minister Katz said, and another line between Tira and Taibe.
An eastern line is planned to run parallel to the shore line.