RAMALLAH, October 10, 2017 (WAFA) - Minister of Transportation Samih Tubeileh said Tuesday that the Dubai-based Careem car transportation company will not be allowed to operate in the West Bank because it was not licensed to transport passengers for a fee.

Speaking to Voice of Palestine radio station, Tubeileh said that unlike other countries in the Middle East where Careem operates, Palestine has a large number of public transportation vehicles and therefore there is no need to have an equivalent and competitive service.

He said that the ministry should first open dialogue with Careem and the public transportation companies before looking into whether or not to license it.

He proposed a way out of this for the local public transport operators is to activate the taxi meters in their vehicles that would give the customers more confidence in their charges.

Careem, which provides car transport services through the internet, has been operating in major West Bank cities, such Ramallah, where it provided service for almost half the cost of what local public transportation charges.

K.F./M.K.