Uber banned from operating in Israel
The Tel Aviv District Court has ruled that Uber must end its rideshare services in Israel as of Nov. 29, following an appeal brought by the app’s competitor, Gett, and the Israel Taxi Drivers Association.
A protest against Uber in Budapest. Credit: Elekes Andor via Wikimedia Commons
Uber, which operates in more than 160 cities worldwide and allows private drivers to freelance as taxi operators, has faced blowback from Israeli regulators since it originally launched a trial of its service in Tel Aviv in 2016.
Judge Eitan Orenstein ruled on Monday that because Uber drivers lack the necessary insurance to cover passengers, he could not allow the company to continue operating its Uber Day and Uber Night services, which utilize privately owned vehicles.
Uber was also sued by Israel’s Transportation Ministry in May based on Israeli laws that forbid accepting payment from passengers without obtaining the necessary license to operate a taxi in the country.
Monday’s Tel Aviv District Court injunction quoted Uber’s lawyer as agreeing to “a permanent stay on everything to do with Uber Night and Uber Day operations in their current format.”
JNS.org
Uber has recently been hacked with some personal details of its 60,000 US drivers and millions of customers world wide having been stolen.