Radical Haredi Protests Expected to Cause Major Traffic Jams in Central Israel and Jerusalem

Major traffic disruptions and severe congestion are anticipated on Thursday afternoon in the Gush Dan area and Jerusalem due to large-scale protests organized by radical Haredi factions. The demonstrations are scheduled to commence at 4 p.m. during peak traffic hours.

The protests stem from the recent arrests of two Haredi draft dodgers. One individual was apprehended overnight in Beersheba, while the second was detained in Eilat the previous evening and subsequently handed over to military police upon identification as a draft evader.

The "Committee to Save the World of Torah" announced the planned protests, stating that they were ordered by Rabbi Azriel Auerbach, a prominent religious authority. The committee cited the arrests of yeshiva students and kollel members by military authorities for the "offense" of studying Torah as the reason for the demonstrations. The group indicated that these protests are expected to be more significant than previous actions by the "Herzpnikim" group, which has occasionally blocked Highway 4.

Authorities are warning drivers to expect considerable delays on major routes in both the Gush Dan region and Jerusalem as a result of the planned demonstrations.