Airport Security to Be Upgraded After Haredi Draft Dodgers Escaped to Ukraine

Israel's Population and Immigration Authority is implementing a security overhaul at airport checkpoints following the escape of 64 Haredi draft dodgers to Uman, Ukraine. The individuals were only apprehended upon their return to Israel. The new measures will include the integration of artificial intelligence technology, the installation of control cameras, and the deployment of two-stage passage gates. These enhancements will be introduced at entry gates this year, with exit gates to follow next year.

Separately, large-scale protests erupted on Tuesday against recent arrests of draft dodgers, organized by the Jerusalem Faction of the Haredi community. The demonstrations, which lasted approximately two hours, led to traffic disruptions on Route 4 and in Jerusalem. During the protests, police had to escort Knesset Members Der'i and Malkieli from a Shas party event due to a large gathering around the building.

Earlier, at a Shas party conference, rabbis from the yeshiva of an arrested Haredi draft dodger were denied entry to a meeting with Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef. The rabbis intended to ask Rabbi Yosef if they should protest outside Prison 10, but Shas officials prevented this, fearing that a Sephardic protest against conscription before elections could harm their campaign. The gathering around the event necessitated police intervention to safely escort the Knesset members out. No injuries or damage were reported from this incident. The Jerusalem Faction had previously announced large protests with a cash reward for "welcoming released draft dodgers" in Jerusalem.