Left-wing protesters try to block entrance to Bnei Brak before Shabbat

Dozens of activists from the Mothers on the Front movement arrived Friday afternoon on Kahanman Street in Bnei Brak in an attempt to disrupt traffic at the city’s entrance. The action was presented as a counterresponse to this week’s vehicle protests and to calls for drafting yeshiva students. Despite earlier threats of a major blockade, only a small number of demonstrators showed up.

The protest quickly led to clashes with local residents, many of whom were on their way to final Shabbat preparations. Residents strongly opposed the effort to block the street at such a sensitive time, and some shouted, "We will die before we enlist." The scene drew anger in the city because it came just before Shabbat, when streets are crowded with families, children, and people rushing to prepare for the evening.

The confrontation reflected remarks by attorney Ayelet Hashachar Saidof, who heads Mothers on the Front, after she said the group intended to block Bnei Brak in response to ultra-Orthodox protests against enlistment. She said, "Blockades will be met with blockades," and added that the protesters planned to "disrupt the lives" of the city’s residents.

During the event, tensions escalated into shoving, and one woman removed her shirt in protest. Police were present and tried to separate the two sides. Organizers said the demonstration was their response to the earlier protest that shut down roads across Israel for hours.