Passengers wait at a light rail tram station in Jerusalem August 21, 2011. After numerous delays that have plagued the project since Israel began building it in 2002, Jerusalem’s light rail system started running on Friday. Travel on the train will be free of charge for the first two weeks. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM – Tags: TRANSPORT SOCIETY BUSINESS)
Something shiny and new is winding its way through the streets of Jerusalem. It’s Israel’s first commuter light rail and it was designed to give Jerusalem’s public transportation a much needed upgrade. But it charges right through the city’s sensitive geopolitics – and it’s upsetting locals for all kinds of reasons.