Netanyahu Hails Metro Expansion to Rishon LeZion as Major Transit Upgrade

RISHON LEZION, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed the extension of Israel’s Metro Red Line to Rishon LeZion as a transformative project that he said would reshape transportation and reduce social and economic gaps across the country.

Speaking at a signing ceremony for the project, Netanyahu said the expansion would better connect Israel’s population centers while easing congestion in one of the country’s most densely populated regions.

“This is a revolution in transportation, but also a social revolution,” Netanyahu said. “Everyone can get from anywhere to everywhere. We are connecting the periphery to the center, and also the center to the center.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu at the signing ceremony for the agreement to extend the Metro Red Line to Rishon LeZion: “This is a revolution in transportation but also a social revolution. Everyone can get from anywhere to everywhere.”

Full Remarks >>https://t.co/COCSrNXNh5 pic.twitter.com/PCwOdRA3MJ

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 25, 2025

Netanyahu said the project would allow millions of residents in the greater metropolitan area to commute more efficiently, reducing reliance on private vehicles and traffic-clogged highways. He described the metro expansion as a multi-year national investment requiring close cooperation between government ministries and local authorities.

The prime minister was joined at the ceremony by Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, senior transportation officials, and Rishon LeZion Mayor Raz Kinstlich.

Netanyahu said improved public transportation would expand access to jobs and housing and help dismantle long-standing economic barriers. “People will be able to live anywhere and reach any workplace,” he said, calling the project a step toward opening markets that had been concentrated in limited geographic areas.

Referencing past public opposition to large infrastructure initiatives, Netanyahu said major national projects often face skepticism before being realized. He pointed to Israel’s natural gas development and the construction of light rail lines as examples of initiatives that were once criticized but later proved essential.

“In difficult economic and security times, the truth emerges,” Netanyahu said. “We are doing what strengthens Israel, secures Israel, and ensures the future of the State of Israel.”