"We decided to think of the religious community in places where it's possible to not impact the routine life of secular people," said the official. "People need to understand that we are implementing the policy of the government."
The National Public Transport Authority said that the timetable of certain lines was changed from times where there are few passengers to times where there are more.
"It is important to state that the National Public Transport Authority acts under the principle of status quo and implements the policy that is enacted by the government," said the authority.Roi Shwartz-Tichon, founder of "Noa Tnua" for public transport on the Sabbath, slammed the decision. Saying it is a mockery of justice that the ministry in charge of public transportation is allegedly "robbing" the public from the few Friday services on which it currently depends – to get to hospitals, among other locations
Uri Kiedar from A Free Israel, a group that seeks to promote a separation of synagogue and state, claimed that this is an attempt to carry out revenge against the local authority leaders who signed on public transport efforts that currently serve secular Jewish people who wish to travel during the weekend.
"The Israeli public will punish" politicians who attempt to harm its right to free travel on the weekend, he said.