Warrants were issued for the arrest of three grandsons of Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri over draft evasion, according to a report Wednesday on Army Radio. The report said the three were wanted by the military police after failing to enlist in the army.
The case comes as tensions rise in the ultra-Orthodox street over arrests of draft evaders, while Deri is also pushing for an arrangement that would reduce the detention of yeshiva students. Deri, a member of the narrow security cabinet, regularly takes part in highly sensitive security discussions and in decisions about the use of the IDF.
The report stressed that Deri's grandsons are not unusual, saying about 60,000 ultra-Orthodox young men currently have arrest warrants outstanding for draft evasion. It also claimed that relatives of Shas ministers and Knesset members have enlisted in the IDF without publicity.
In response, Deri said, "I strongly protest the arrest warrants issued against thousands of Torah students in Israel, including my grandsons, whom I am proud of. It all stems from the whim of politicians and the attorney general, in an attempt to topple the government." He added, "It is a disgrace and a shame for the State of Israel that Torah scholars are being pursued like this. My colleagues and I are working with all our might to stop these political arrests and regulate the status of yeshiva students."
