Violent clashes broke out Wednesday evening in Arad between secular young residents and Haredi protesters, underscoring a growing struggle over the city’s character as its Haredi population continues to grow fastest. Local secular residents say they are trying to push back against what they see as a takeover of public space, and the confrontation has now reached a boiling point.
A resident identified as S. told ynet that she came to block Haredi vehicles in a counterprotest against demonstrations over draft exemptions. She said she had been injured just two days earlier during celebrations held by Haredim after the release of a man suspected of domestic violence. “They broke my arm and I went to the emergency room. I came with an Israeli flag and they snatched it from me,” she said. S. added, “I came again today because I feel like a stranger in my own city, there is no future for my children.”
Other secular residents were just as alarmed. One said the city had been “sold from above” by the current mayor, while another said Arad had become “hostage” to the Haredim and warned that the coming week would be a test when they prevent them from going to Jerusalem. Nicola Leiva, who was present at the clash at the “Patio,” said Haredi protesters tried to take her flag and that police stopped them. She also described long-standing tensions with Haredi neighbors and said, “We want to run away from here.” A Haredi resident said the events were painful and that there are “good people” in the city.
Mayor Yair Maayan called on everyone to stop immediately, including the violence, incitement and harsh reactions online. “This is not the way to continue,” he said, stressing that protests are allowed in a democracy, but not violence. The conflict is also playing out in daily life: Route 3 of Metropoline has recently been replaced during rush hours with a gender-separated service, despite legal bans on segregation in public transport, and after Gur Hasidim bought the city mall, store owners say they were pressured to remove images of women and make businesses more modest.
