Israel’s newest railway line was officially inaugurated Wednesday when the first train travelled from Tel Aviv to Kiryat Gat, over a new track and parts of a rebuilt track along an old right-of-way. The new link involving 12 miles of completely new embankment and track from Ashkelon to Kiryat Gat plus restoration of the Ashkelon-Ashdod line, part of the old Palestine-Egypt railroad, is intended to speed and serve potash and phosphate exports from the Dead Sea to Ashdod Port, bypassing the overloaded Lydda junction. Work on the new and rebuilt line took three years and cost $23 million.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
