Thousands March in Jerusalem Against IDF, Calling it 'Enemy Army'

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis participated in a large procession in Jerusalem on Tuesday to celebrate the release of draft dodgers, referred to by the community as "students of Torah prisoners." The marchers carried signs denigrating the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), with some calling it the "enemy army." The event took place at the intersection of Bar Ilan and Brandeis streets, with police closing the surrounding roads. The released draft dodgers arrived by bus and were met with enthusiasm. At the end of the march, attendees gathered at Kikar HaShabbat, where Rabbi Yehuda Tzadka of Porat Yosef Yeshiva distributed envelopes containing 1,000 shekels each to the dodgers, funded by donations from abroad, according to organizers. Children received surprise bags with messages praising the "students of Torah who were imprisoned for the 'sin' of preserving Judaism."

Some signs displayed anti-state messages in English, including slogans like "Free the hostages from prison 10 who will never serve in the enemy army." Many of those released had been arrested months prior, often during unannounced detentions. One attendee, Meir Steiner, was arrested by military police for draft evasion after being questioned in an unrelated fraud investigation and served 20 days. The procession has drawn widespread condemnation from opposition politicians, especially with upcoming elections. Gadi Eisenkot of the National Unity party stated the election is between a "government of evasion and a Zionist enlistment government," warning against another term of evasion. Naftali Bennett of the National Camp criticized the Netanyahu government for funding evasion and called it a "real security danger." Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu questioned the funding and partnership between Netanyahu and these draft dodgers, demanding an investigation into the money distribution. Yair Golan of the Democratic Party decried the anti-IDF signs and stated that Netanyahu has allied with these individuals, promising zero tolerance for draft dodgers in the future.

The article notes that similar events have occurred previously, including a large rally in Bnei Brak where media crews from Channel 12 and Kan 11 were reportedly attacked by protesters, leading them to leave the scene. The draft dodgers are often Breslov Hasidim arrested at Ben Gurion Airport or border crossings upon returning from trips abroad, such as to Uman, Ukraine. While the High Court of Justice has ordered the IDF to enforce conscription equally, the military cites a lack of cooperation from the police as a reason for halting proactive arrests in civilian areas. The Israel Police, however, stated that enforcing draft evasion is the responsibility of the Military Police.