RED MED

Israel approves key rail link of 'interest' to India
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Jerusalem: Israel on Sunday approved the construction of the first rail link between its Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, offering a new Asia-Europe trade route to compete with the Suez Canal, a project in which India is also said to have evinced interest.

• The so called proposal for Red-Med train link was unanimously approved by the Israeli cabinet and its construction is likely to take about 5 years from the time of start at a cost of approximately $2.3 billion.

• Its an alternative route between Asia and Europe to the Suez Canal, and that this could serve as an "insurance policy".
• Such a link has the potential to serve as a means of transporting goods to Europe without having to go through the Suez Canal, since cargo unloaded in Eilat would then be sent by rail to Israeli ports, and from there to Europe.
• travel time from Eilat to Tel Aviv to two hours

"Israel must become a continental land crossing route and create great power interest," the Israeli Premier said. In addition to the strategic aspects of this rail link, Netanyahu said it would also shorten travel time from Eilat to Tel Aviv to two hours, "and will change the face of the country".

Eilatis Israel's southernmost city, a busy port as well as a popular resort, located at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on the Gulf of Eilat (or Gulf of Aqaba).

•  Home to 46,600 people,^[1] the city is part of the Southern Negev Desert, at the southern end of the Arava. The city is adjacent to the Egyptian village of Taba to the south, the Jordanian port city of Aqaba to the east, and within sight of Saudi Arabia to the south-east, across the gulf. Eilat's arid desert climate and low humidity is moderated by proximity to a warm sea. Temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in summer, and 21 °C (70 °F) in winter, while water temperatures range between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 79 °F). Eilat averages up to 360 sunny days a year.^[2]
• The city's beaches, nightlife and desert landscapes make it a popular destination for domestic and international tourism.