Journalist Ben Caspit Links Haredi Riots to Election Issues

Journalist Ben Caspit sharply criticized the events that transpired in Modi'in overnight, where hundreds of Haredi protesters clashed with Military Police attempting to arrest a draft dodger. Caspit argued that this incident exemplifies a central issue in the current election cycle. The protesters converged on the building where the Military Police were operating, confronting the forces and obstructing the arrest. Police were dispatched to extract the soldiers and restore order. Ultimately, the draft dodger was released and not taken by the Military Police.

"I know it's a cliché, but it's accurate: this is what the elections are about," Caspit wrote. He added that while most Israelis want to dismantle Hamas and defeat Iran, "these rioters are the main partners in Netanyahu's coalition." Caspit also referenced statements attributed to Rabbi Landau, intensifying his critique of the relationship between the state and the Haredi community. "The Haredi state that has arisen within us and at our expense must be dismantled and joined to the State of Israel," he asserted.

Caspit stated that anyone unwilling to accept this would not participate in the system, "neither in its obligations nor in its rights." His remarks come amid ongoing public and political disputes over the conscription of yeshiva students, with the Modi'in incident concluding without the draft dodger's arrest being completed.