Ultra-Orthodox to Protest Draft Evasion Arrests, Block Roads

The radical ultra-Orthodox movement, known as the Jerusalem Faction (Peleg Yerushalmi), has announced large-scale protests in Jerusalem and Gush Dan scheduled for Thursday, October 8, at 4:00 PM. The demonstrations are a response to the recent arrests of draft dodgers. The movement stated that yeshiva students and married men studying in kollels have been detained by the military in recent days.

According to the movement, its spiritual leader, Rabbi Azriel Auerbach, has called for protests against these arrests and the perceived silence of the wider Orthodox community. A statement from the "Committee for the Preservation of Torah Peace" declared that after yeshiva students were arrested for studying Torah and "abandoned by the Orthodox establishment," Rabbi Auerbach ordered nationwide protests against the "humiliation of the dignity of Torah and its students."

The Jerusalem Faction, led by Rabbi Auerbach, is expected to participate. While typically only a more radical faction led by Rabbi Zvi Friedman is involved in such protests, this event may see hundreds of members participating, potentially making it more significant.

The announcement follows an incident on the night of October 6, where hundreds of ultra-Orthodox individuals "mobilized" and converged on Modiin after a deserter activated an arrest alert system called "Tzeva Shahor" (Black Color). They reportedly entered the building where the deserter was hiding to prevent his apprehension. Clashes occurred with police who arrived to disperse the crowd, and military police were surrounded.

Ultra-Orthodox participants declared victory after negotiations with police, reportedly resulting in the military police leaving if the deserter was not arrested. The deserter, Yairi Lieberman, was reportedly hailed as a hero. A police investigation revealed that a small military police unit, contrary to instructions, allowed the deserter time to gather supporters before requesting police assistance to restore order.

On October 6, military officials acknowledged to the government's legal advisor that the army had "recently" refrained from proactive arrests of deserters, a statement that contradicted a previous army press release. However, a document prepared for the High Court of Justice indicated that while proactive arrests were generally not conducted recently due to a focus on border crossings and holiday preparations, the army intended to resume active detentions in October.

In September, 212 deserters and draft evaders were apprehended at border crossings as part of this focused effort, with an estimated 163 from the ultra-Orthodox community. All were held accountable, mostly through disciplinary measures. Concerns have been raised about loopholes in travel restrictions, as 64 out of 188 individuals detained at Ben Gurion Airport were only apprehended upon their return to Israel. The Interior Ministry's Population Registry Administration stated that identified loopholes have been closed and cases of individuals circumventing travel bans have been transferred to the police or military.