Protest Erupts on Route 443 After Arrest of Haredi Man Driving Stolen Car

A protest broke out on Route 443 near the Ofar checkpoint toward Jerusalem following the arrest of a young Haredi man initially reported by the "Black Flag" system as an attempt to hand over a draft-dodging yeshiva student to the military police. The police clarified that the man, a resident of Ashdod in his twenties, was stopped after being caught driving a stolen vehicle. Only after his arrest was it discovered that he was also classified as a draft defaulter.

The "Black Flag" system had called on the Haredi community to gather and protest the alleged handover, prompting several Haredim to arrive and demonstrate at the scene. Police forces from the Jerusalem Border Police and checkpoint units detained the suspect during a vehicle inspection at the Ofar crossing. Following the arrest, dozens of protesters blocked Route 443, leading Border Police and Judea and Samaria district officers to intervene and restore order and traffic flow.

An investigation into the circumstances of the vehicle theft is ongoing at the Modiin Illit police station in the Judea and Samaria district.