Netanyahu announces $27bn railway plan that will ‘link Israel to Saudi Arabia’

July 30, 2023

“My vision is for every Israeli citizen to be able to travel to or from the center from anywhere in the country in less than two hours.”

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced a NIS 100 billion ($27 billion) plan to link the northern city of Kiryat Shmona to the southern city of Eilat by a high-speed rail that would eventually link to Saudi Arabia.

“My vision is for every Israeli citizen to be able to travel to or from the center from anywhere in the country in less than two hours,” said Netanyahu. “In most cases under an hour, and even less than that.”

The rail line “will also be able to link Israel by train to Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, we’re working on that too.”

According to the Israeli leader, the periphery has “disappeared.”

“We are linking Israel in one bloc with extraordinary possibilities for the citizens of Israel, who will no longer need to live with their parents at crazy rental prices,” he said.

The rail line, which stretches some 400 km (250) miles, will also include a bullet train segment through the Negev desert.

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“Ben-Gurion said go down to the Negev,” said Netanyahu. “We are bringing the infrastructure to the Negev. Without the infrastructure [in place] it’s a giant but empty vision,” he added.

Netanyahu made his remarks in the wake of a visit by top Biden officials to Jeddah and comments by President Joe Biden that a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia “maybe under way.”