A directive to separate Israelis and Palestinians travelling on buses to the West Bank was implemented on Tuesday and then suspended the next morning following a public outcry.

The directive, ordered by Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, was the result of pressure from settler groups to prevent Palestinian day-workers returning home on buses used by Israelis.

The settlers claimed the Palestinians were harassing women and a security risk. However, senior IDF officers objected to the directive, saying that the Palestinians had already been vetted when given work permits.

By Wednesday, a public outcry prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend the directive. President Reuven Rivlin said that the move towards segregation contradicted "the founding principles of Israel".