Uber Returns to Israel, 5 Years After Court Ban

Uber announced its plan to relaunch services in Israel this week – five years after a court ruled it could no longer operate in the country.

It said thousands of drivers have already signed up to operate across the country, though primarily in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Uber was available in Israel until 2017, when its operations were halted by a court injunction. 

Israel’s Transportation Ministry, Taxi Driver Union, and a rival ride-hailing company won the court case after asserting that the U.S. company worked with drivers who lacked sufficient business licenses and insurance. 

Now, it will re-enter the Israeli market for ride-hailing and ride-sharing, and compete locally with taxi services Gett and Yango. 

“We want to use technology to turn taxi services, working with other public transportation services, into the alternative to the private car they can be,” said Gony Noy, general manager of Uber Israel, in a Reuters article.  

Uber offers its services throughout the globe as an application available for download in more than 70 countries and 10,000 cities.

Uber’s return to Israel and newfound partnership follow the company’s similar deals nationwide, including deals in Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Turkey, South Korea, Hong Kong, New York City, and San Francisco. The company hopes to have all Israeli taxis available for hailing on its app within the next three years.