A Line 16 Extra bus driver in his 70s was viciously stabbed by three teens in Netanya, drove himself to Laniado Hospital after multiple abdominal wounds, and his colleagues launched strike action demanding immediate protections.
A shocking attack on Tuesday night has left Israel’s public-transport community reeling. A veteran bus driver in his 70s who operates Line 16 for the Extra company was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen by three teenagers while on duty in Netanya.
Despite grievous wounds, the driver summoned extraordinary strength and drove himself to Laniado Hospital, where surgeons performed several operations. He remains hospitalized in serious condition, sedated and on a ventilator. Medical staff say his survival so far is a testament to his grit and the rapid emergency response.
The assault touched a raw nerve across the country’s transport workforce. The Extra drivers’ committee and the National Bus Drivers Organization under the National Labor Federation immediately announced a strike to protest a spike in violence against drivers and to demand urgent safety measures. Ofer Sitruck, chairman of the Extra workers’ committee, captured the anger and fear:
“We’ve had enough already. We will hold a broad strike until the afternoon to protest this disgrace. The day when a driver will be murdered is already here — we must put a stop to this outrage.”
Union leaders warned additional protest measures are coming next week if authorities do not implement immediate steps to protect drivers — from stronger law-enforcement presence at trouble spots to employer and municipal safety protocols. The strike signals a nationwide demand: public servants who keep cities moving must not be left exposed to brutal attacks.
As investigators search for the three assailants and authorities weigh swift security responses, drivers and commuters alike are left grappling with the terrifying reality that everyday service can turn deadly — and with a unified call for the state to act to safeguard those who keep Israel running.
