East Jerusalem is 50% Jewish... and the whole of Jerusalem is 70% Jewish...
"Palestinians" or more precisely, Arab Israelis in East Jerusalem have the same rights as the Jewish residents there

So it's beyond me why some people consider it possible or realistic to divide Jerusalem and give a section with 200,000 Jews to the Palestinians. Especially as the Jewish birth rate is substantially higher than the arab one and the Jewish share keeps growing.

This kind of thinking will never bring peace.

Hi,

Jerusalem is a place full of tourists, foreign workers,students, religious jews and palestinians. East Jerusalem was once controlled by jordan , not Palestinians. At the time , Palestinians never had any connection to Jerusalem only certain Villages in the land of Palestine. Jerusalem was always home to all 3 religions. Therali system has nothing to do with east jerudalem, at the moment palestinians in east jerusalem benefit from living as part of israel and are living well, the truth is that many prefer living under israeli rule, but the media will not mention it. im am not criticising cnn, im jst saying that any media doesn't. currently there are inefficient buses running from there , most of these people need to get to jobs and visit friends in other areas, so this is a benefit for them . i live in israel and i speak to arabs everyday, i see 10 or 20 in the street everyday, the situation is similar to europe where we live side by side.

This is fantastic
But the constant decisions without consumer/public involvement is disempowering to the citizen
Let Israel be truly democratic!

Guy Azriel,

Presuming you have a map of Jerusalem in your office, it should be evident that Shuafat and Beit Hanina are not geographically in east Jerusalem. Beit Hanina is in fact on the western side of town.
The entire route follows or has replaced existing roads used by all residents and visitors to Jerusalem.

"the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem". Typical CNN bias. There is no such place, as there is no country named: "Palestine". As far as Mr. Al-Ruedi's complaint goes, I can assure you that if the light rail had bypassed Arab neighborhoods, he would have complained that the evil Jews were discriminating against the Arabs.

Wow...what a surprise! ; an Israeli project that screwed Palestinians over! Who'd have thought that would ever happen?! Did they do any cost-effect testing of substituting the bodies of Palestinians as ties in lieu of prefab concrete or wood?

All this over some trolleys?? This project is even at a lower level than Phoenix's light rail/downtown trolley system. I guess this post was another way to get Israel in the news that isn't so bad.

arabs dont want progress.. because they are bracing their backward civilization oriented by the teachings of islam, the murderous devils cult

who cares?
i live in israel and i realy realy dont care... we have much much bigger things to think about now...

I'm glad the Israelis could finally finish this project. Why is any space even allowed to persons complaining about land that was conquered and won by another country 44 years ago?

This is good for religious pilgrimage, travel vacations,
lots of safety, security features, counter measures.

Hope to have like this project possible in my country, the Philippines.

-with out corruptions/ food for everybody, total transparency, every projects/ all budget/ per individual/ persons.

shalum/ god speed

I think its a waste of money 1.2 billon dollars feed gaza

The dollar has devalued, the Israelis (who live from American taxes) now protest that they can't afford to live.

It has been exposed that Obama has knowingly armed Al Qaeda in Libya.

The UN is about to recognize Palestine as an observer STATE.

The world understands Israel has illegally and militarily occupied Palestine with no intention of offering the dignity or self rule to those people.

Now we all know weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was a lie to take the West into an illegal war.

Now we know since the death of Princes Diana (who was to marry a high level Muslim), the CIA have been plotting and funding the Arab spring movement.

Now the CIA has removed Mubarak, there's no more talk of September elections for a free Egypt.

Now the support CNN gave to America government lies and mischief is being exposed. So now is the time CNN stops updating Inside the Middle East.

Israel and its corrupt partner in crime America can no longer hide their dirty washing, as all is becoming too obvious. So now CNN doesn't want to discuss matters any longer.

So the most important issue CNN can think of is a train service in Jerusalem which could never be afforded without bankrupt America sending more taxes to Israel.

Who rules America? The unelected private banks of the Federal Reserve.

Who rules the Federal reserve? Jewish bankers

Who do Jews give their first allegiance to? Israel

Who runs America? Israel

Who funds America's totally dishonest media? ....

Wake up, time is short.

John A,

Any more conspiracies and false mantras to add?

I suppose you still claim not to be anti-Semitic.

Too bad you again exhibit one of the oldest indications of the condition.

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what does it matter now?

palestine? israel? are we not in the civilized-globalization era? gone is the inhuman colonization age.

just look: european union, usa, asean, so why can't there be a friendly middle eastern union? isn't it about time?

one world – that's what everybody should be working at. ambitious goal? No. it is attainable.

To John A.

Which planet did you fall from? I think you have been reading too many scientific books lately. I suggest you start reading Peter Pan, my kids love it, and they are much better for it.

I love the rail! It helps a lot and if you see the social win for anyone the money was worth to be spend. In Israel they need more projects like this to leave the boarders in the heads behind... Sadly this is all about power and money and politics. If you would ask the normal people in Israel – they would love to live without fear and in peace!

Shabat Shalom from Germany!

Miriam, it seems you're one of the last political dinosaur who thinks they are well informed after watching TV news.

Try looking for the truth. Try looking at a balance in the news.

Try reading the drudge report. That will make a good start. That's why it has millions more readers than CNN, Fox, msnbc etc..

To Michael, in a wink of an eye your kids will out grow you. Perhaps you should develop some opinions and logical ideas before you embarrass yourself in front of them.

John A,
Israel buged for the year of 2010 is 270 b₪. Comper it to the money that the U.S. gives (3 b₪). Well, this is nothing that sopport. Don't overestimate the U.S. over the world.

john A, you don't need to hide behind the name John. come out with your real name. Abdulrahaman or ....... era of median propaganda is gone, well all know the truth in mid East this days. will the Arabs allow any body to take over any of their old cities? eg Medina.

John Nazi A

you do proud to your idols Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels, as always. Are you sorry that Eichman is dead?

it looks like anything that happens in israel is just another excuse for open season on jews. no we are not all rich money grubbers. we dont eat babies. or sacrifice cows on the alters . get a life you morons. jerusalem is the jewish capital of israel. if the arabs wanted peace and brother hood they could have had it years ago. am yisrael chai

What Palestine? Palestine never existed. It was the name given to the area (including today's Jordan) by the UN's predessecor in 1920 when England took the booty it wanted from WWI. The land was totally arid without any major population (some thousand all together) Read the English "White Books" about the area/at that time. There never existed a free arabic Palestine, so the areas we took in 1967 where not conquered but freed areas from Jordan and Egypt, who went to war with us to destroy us.

i rode the rail.it was delightful to see jews and arabs enjoying novelty and clean public transport

I can't wait to use the Rail. Its been under construction for far to long. But really CNN its controversial now? Could you maybe just write an article about the new transportation system and not hate Israel in it?

Thank You LORD "JESUS" Give them Peace "LORD" Heal them "LORD" San Diego

The victims of Gaddafi have the opportunity to realize, momentarily today, how the original Creator works through humans for humans.
50 % credit is for human push, starting with Greatest of great Leaders: Mr. Obama and us all.

Shahislam

We now have the distinction of having the slowest rapid transit system in the world. At a top speed of 30 kmh it takes more than an hour to get across town (I actually tried 3 times) and that is only if there are no problems .. which there are many .. but wait the city and the operator are still arguing who is going to synchronize the stoplights so one day (maybe) the train won't need to stop at every intersection. In the meantime the train looks very modern so we are enjoying our fancy new look (only 1.2 billion $) along with our sort of world famous (it has a copy in Portugal) (70 million $) string bridge ..

To Mr. Billy Spudd Potato Head: Face reality. Jerusalem is one city and there is no way it can be divided. Arabs, Christians, Armenians and Jews, religious and secular lifestyles all mixed inside municipal boundaries. If the rail had bypassed Arab neighborhoods you would have shouted discrimination. You are the type of hater that no matter what Israel does you will see deprivation of Arabs, even where it doesn't exist.

actually the city considered avoiding muslim quarters with this rail, but after some "leftists" protests & petitions it was dismissed as "discrimination".

@John A : Israelis don't live from American taxes, but receive compensation for breaching contracts with China considering trade of military technology.
Personally I don't see why would USA be so afraid of China in that sense, but if your government wants to spend your tax money to prevent China getting that technology – it's your problem, not Israeli's.
It was not even weapons for destruction but radars which are mainly used in defensive purposes.

Tell your govt to stop sending compensation to Israel, and let Israel trade with China so it can raise it's defense. It's more profitable for Israel than your devalued dollars anyways. All will be happy, except you of course (until you personally kill all the Jews obviously).

Btw I think it was not some Jew but "handsome" Hussein Obama who was responsible for sharing Federal reserves to bank managers which spent it on their personal bonuses instead on saving economy & working class ppl.

Michael,

Did you see Gaddafi being dragged through the streets and bludgeoned to death by Western backed democracy. That's your fairy tale ending, that's your hope in a future. That's your idea of a job well done and its the high ground you reach for?

And you ask what planet I come from?

Guy Azriel the jewish uncle Tom

To start of, John A there's something called facts so please look it up in the dictionary, accusations only go so far. Your voice will never echo far enough to make a difference, believe that. I hate when people take sides whether it be Israel or Palestine. I am Jewish and of course Israel will always be my motherland, but I do not endorse any type of violence whether it be from either side.

On a positive note I'm glad there is a transportation system being integrated. At least the people can look forward to something other than political conflict and grief. This is a great step forward and regardless of decades of conflict this nation has progressed constantly, economically and socially.

CNN continues its policy of blocking posts and updates. Have the wheels fallen of CNN's propaganda news vehicle? Has CNN finally realized that nobody believes them anymore?

By the way the Gadaffis mob killing by Western backed "undemocratic forces..." never got mentioned by "inside the middle east". Why's that? Is the ugly reality of western lies is sometimes too hard to swallow?Or is CNN too busy writing future breaking news scripts which will be spewed out during an attack on Iran?

Are you guys serious? You claim to monitor the blog but you let idiotic comments like John A's go through?

How long before some allahu akbar type decides to blow themselves up on in this train?

to John A.
You forgot to mention that Muhamad Atta was release by Israel under American pressure to advance the piece after Aslo.

Progress isn't building expensive rail-way systems when you still got s**t like massacring humans for 'peace, democracy and the Jewish homeland.'

Israel God's own children has done it again! I wish it could happen in Nigeria in my life time, Here our leaders have gone asleep, completely oblivious of what is happening in the world.

The Censorship News Network carries on, business as usual?

I am an anti Nationalist Israeli. I will be the first to pull down our beloved flag and burn it – WHEN WE ARE THE LAST FLAG FLYING.

above comment to Alice

Its just a railway, Iam a palestinian and it is good of projects.
I will use it

I hate the the Israelis, As much as I hate the Arabs.

I will sell falafel and Coca Cola on the train and make a fortune. Thank you, Israel, for ongoing economic improvement for Arabs living in Israel and the West Bank.

It is true that most Arabs living in east Jerusalem and the West Bank have said they prefer to live in Israel rather than a new Muslim Palestinian state?

Now why would that be so if all the trash lies told by John A were true? Simple. Because John A is a Jew-hating liar.

Israel took East Jerusalem over from Jordan after Jordan attacked. There was no Palestine to lose the territory.

Green bay packers 12-0

Eastern Jerusalem.
If you steal something. Time will not making it yours.

"... the rail also passes through the Palestinian east Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Shuafat and Beit Hanina"
There not such place named " Palestinian east Jerusalem ".
Jerusalem and the neighbourhoods of Shuafat and Beit Hanina are an Israeli city. Not an palestinian area.

ILOVE ALL,tribes lives in there,And its not just arailway but job oppotunities,lwish lwas born there but lam ugandan ln AFRICA

As some one living in Tunisia, I can say that much of the stupidity displayed in John's posts is believed among less educated segments of the population here. This is why it becomes destructive and requires truthful responses. After all, the new Tunisian government – please note John A – elected democratically and not influenced by the CIA or CNN is a coalition of moderate Muslim parties.

I am disappointed however that he didn't mention my favorite antisemitic urban legend: That the world Trade Center attack was planned by the Jews and all the Jewish employees were told to stay home that day. This is only slightly more idiotic than the rubbish in John's posts.

I'm interested in a followon covering the real story here....How is the rail system working out so far?

Do the residents like it? Does it shorten commutes?

Is it less accident-prone than other city light rail systems? More accident-prone? Washington DC was torn up for quite a time for its transportation work...some of which is still ongoing. Is Jerusalem all put back together now? Are there extensions to surrounding cities being considered?

What does a trip cost? How many people are employed by the system?

Apparently only in Israel does every civic project have to have its own political commentary...

There s nothing controversial about this train. This is agenda driven reporting like all 'mainstream' news groups

What's up it's me Fiona, I am also visiting this site regularly, this website is genuinely nice and the users are in fact sharing nice thoughts.