Yeshiva Student Arrested in Beersheba Amid Renewed Haredi Draft Evasion Crackdown

A yeshiva student, Eliyahu Deda, a student at the Orchos Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, was arrested at his home in Beersheba by military police overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. Following his arrest, he was transferred to a detention facility in the Bahadim camp and subsequently to Prison 10, where a hearing is expected to take place soon. This arrest follows a series of recent detentions after the Attorney General demanded a renewal of proactive enforcement against Haredi draft evaders. Organizations involved in the recruitment issue have expressed grave concern over the morning's arrest and are preparing for protests and other actions. Rabbis from the Orchos Meir Yeshiva described Deda as a righteous and beloved student, with fellow students reportedly shocked by the news. The yeshiva's rabbis are discussing how to respond to the arrest. Rabbi Ephraim Hamad, one of the yeshiva's rabbis, stated that the student is the "best in the yeshiva" and described the arrest as occurring in the middle of the night with a forceful, frightening knock on the door. He added that attorney Shlomo Haddad is handling the case and that the yeshiva's rabbis are considering holding a protest rally outside the prison and are providing support to the family. The rabbis also plan to meet with First to the Nation Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef to seek guidance on actions for the student's release.

The Beersheba arrest comes after a dramatic incident in Modi'in where military police attempted to arrest Yairi Lieberman, a student from the 'Or HaChaim' yeshiva, just 20 days before his wedding. Hundreds of protesters arrived, forcing the military police to leave without making an arrest. In parallel, two additional arrests occurred in Eilat, involving a student from the 'Hebron Knesset Israel' yeshiva and a newly married Haredi man, who were apprehended by military police and handed over.

These arrests are occurring against the backdrop of the Attorney General's demand for urgent improvement in enforcement against Haredi draft evaders. A discussion held Tuesday revealed that 64 draft evaders managed to leave the country undetected and were only arrested upon their return to Israel. Military officials announced that proactive enforcement would resume in October, coordinated between military police and local police stations. Between September 1 and 22, 2023, 212 draft evaders and absentees were arrested at border crossings, approximately 163 of whom were estimated to be from the Haredi public. A senior official from a Haredi party told 'Kikar HaShabbat' that the current situation, with efforts by legal bodies to push the IDF and police to renew arrests, will clearly lead to riots and protests, validating the 'Jerusalem Faction's' long-held claims on the draft issue.