IDF Arrest Attempt Sparks Mass Protest, Halts Before Election

A dramatic confrontation occurred in Modi'in overnight between Monday and Tuesday when military police attempted to arrest a student from the 'Or Hachaim' yeshiva, who was reportedly a draft dodger. The student, who is reportedly 20 days before his wedding, was at his home when military police arrived. The activation of a 'black paint' system, used to signal distress, drew hundreds of protesters to the scene, including residents of Modi'in and individuals from other cities like Modi'in Illit, Jerusalem, and Beit Shemesh. Rabbis and students from the 'Or Hachaim' yeshiva also arrived.

Protesters clashed with police forces attempting to block access to the building. Some managed to enter and reach the 11th-floor apartment where the student was located. Despite additional police forces being deployed, hundreds more students continued to arrive. Ultimately, dozens of protesters and security forces remained on the 11th floor, preventing the arrest. The military police eventually left without making an arrest, and the student was released.

The IDF spokesperson stated that the protest was an organized disruption by rioters aiming to impede the military police's operation and endanger soldiers. The spokesperson condemned any attempt to interfere with or harm soldiers on duty and affirmed that enforcement actions against draft dodgers would continue equally. However, a senior official from the United Torah Judaism party criticized the renewed arrests, calling it a blatant political intervention three weeks before elections, intended to harm religious parties and the right-wing bloc.

MK Yitzhak Goldknopf of Agudat Yisrael condemned the incident, describing the nighttime raid on a private home to apprehend a yeshiva student as a disgrace to a Jewish state and placing responsibility on the Prime Minister. He vowed to fight for the right to maintain a Jewish way of life in Israel. This incident follows other recent attempts to arrest yeshiva students, including two in the past few days that were also halted by protests. Aid organizations report that approximately 50 students were held in military prison on Hoshana Rabbah and were expected to spend the Simchat Torah holiday in jail.