Hundreds March in Bnei Brak to Honor Draft Dodgers Freed from Military Prison

Hundreds of people participated in a procession in Bnei Brak on Sunday to honor 160 ultra-Orthodox men recently released from military prison. The individuals, referred to as draft dodgers, received a financial grant of several hundred shekels for their time in detention.

The event drew sharp criticism from political figures. Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, condemned the procession as a "procession of shame" orchestrated by the Netanyahu government, which he accused of promoting draft evasion and neglecting security. Eisenkot vowed that a future "Zionist enlistment government" would implement a genuine conscription law, honor those who serve, and penalize draft dodgers.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also criticized the situation, stating that it was the reason for upcoming elections. He specifically mentioned Aryeh Deri's alleged promise to allocate billions more from working citizens to draft evaders, vowing to stop such practices and ensure that those who do not enlist receive no state funding. Bennett declared, "What is not Zionist is not on my account."

Yoaz Hendel commented that Israel cannot tolerate a society that educates against state institutions, warning that such a situation is unsustainable. He added that a government reliant on parties promoting this agenda would be unable to rectify it.