Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) has ordered that soldiers be allowed to once again ride trains for free at all times.

"Today I instructed the director of my Ministry to immediately take action with the railway administration and the IDF in order to cancel the current system and to allow all IDF soldiers to travel for free, even on Sunday mornings," Katz wrote on his Facebook page.

He continued: "Soldiers who prefer will be able to continue taking buses straight to their bases. Under the original system, which was arrange with the IDF, there was the intention of creating a comfortable alternative for all soldiers and not to create a situation in which some soldiers could afford to pay to travel and others not. Because this was the effect of the situation, it is not reasonable - I have instructed it to be canceled. In addition, during recent years Israel Railway have carried out a significant purchase of new cars and stations, which will allow it to prepare accordingly."