Protesters Block Highway 4 Over Draft Evasion Arrests, Police Clear Road

Dozens of protesters affiliated with Rabbi Zvi Friedman's faction blocked Highway 4 near the Gan Yavne interchange on Sunday morning, protesting the arrest of two yeshiva students classified as draft evaders by the IDF. The protest began unexpectedly during morning rush hour, causing severe traffic congestion and confrontations between drivers and demonstrators. The protest follows the arrest in Rishon LeZion of Yedidya Mizrahi and Yonatan Mustakis, students at the Ohr HaChaim yeshiva, who were sentenced to 20 days in military prison. The faction claims the students were prevented from contacting "Tzeva Shachor," an organization that mobilizes activists to prevent such arrests, during their apprehension. Police Commissioner Dani Levi instructed commanders to act decisively to prevent any attempts to block roads, disrupt public order, or harm daily life, stating there would be "a heavy hand and zero tolerance" for such actions. The protest was initially planned for the afternoon in the Gush Dan area, but organizers decided to advance it without prior notice. After approximately 90 minutes, police successfully cleared the protesters from the roadway, and traffic resumed.