Ultra-Orthodox Faction Plans Protests in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak Over Draft Evasion Arrests

A Haredi faction, identified as the Jerusalem Faction, announced plans for protests on Thursday afternoon at 4:00 PM in Jerusalem and the Bnei Brak area. The demonstrations are in response to recent arrests of draft evaders across the country, some of whom are from yeshivas associated with the mainstream. Heavy traffic congestion is anticipated due to the planned protests.

This action follows a directive from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who urged the IDF to resume proactive arrests of draft evaders. In a document summarizing a previous discussion, she stated that the lack of proactive measures against draft evaders and deserters is incompatible with security needs. The document also called for expediting legal proceedings for draft evasion and military disciplinary law.

The IDF indicated that proactive enforcement would resume in October. However, a report from Haaretz last month revealed that the IDF had ceased such operations against yeshiva students since August. The situation escalated recently when a Haredi draft evader was arrested by military police in Modi'in. Hundreds of Haredim surrounded his home, clashing with police, leading to his release. Military police were subsequently evacuated under heavy guard, and protesters were forcibly removed from the street.

The IDF reiterated its commitment to continuing enforcement against draft evaders equitably and within legal bounds. The day after the Modi'in incident, Knesset Member Yitzhak Goldknopf, chairman of Agudat Yisrael, blamed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the "persecution of Torah scholars," calling the nighttime raid on the draft evader's home a "disgraceful mark" on a Jewish state.