Ultra-Orthodox Block Road 4 Over Draft Evasion Arrests

By عرب ٤٨, https://www.facebook.com/arab48official, محمود مجادلة

Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba

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Arabic · 24 newsrooms covering

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men blocked Highway 4 in central Israel on Sunday to protest the arrest and imprisonment of two yeshiva students for draft evasion. The protest caused major traffic jams and confrontations with police, who used stun grenades. This action is part of ongoing demonstrations against the detention of draft-dodging students amid a dispute over ultra-Orthodox conscription.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men blocked Highway 4 in central Israel to protest the arrest of two draft-evading yeshiva students.
The protest caused severe traffic disruptions and led to confrontations with drivers and police intervention.
The arrested students were sentenced to 20 days in military prison for evading mandatory military service.
Demonstrators claimed poor detention conditions prevented them from accessing legal aid.
The protest is part of ongoing demonstrations against the detention of ultra-Orthodox students refusing military service.
Legal Advisor Gali Baharav-Miara recently ordered the resumption of preemptive arrests for draft evaders.

Ultra-Orthodox Block Road 4 Over Draft Evasion Arrests — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men blocked Highway 4 at the Yavne junction in central Israel on Sunday morning to protest the arrest of two yeshiva students accused of draft evasion. The protest, which caused severe traffic disruptions in both directions, led to confrontations with drivers and police intervention using stun grenades to disperse the demonstrators.

The protest was initially planned for the afternoon, but organizers opted for a surprise morning closure. The Israeli police declared the demonstration illegal, closed the highway in both directions, and advised drivers to use alternative routes. Protesters chanted slogans including "We will die rather than be drafted."

The arrests involved two young men in Rishon LeZion, who were sentenced to 20 days in military prison for evading military service. Demonstrators claimed the conditions of their detention prevented them from contacting a legal aid hotline for arrested ultra-Orthodox individuals.

This protest is part of renewed demonstrations against the detention of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students who refuse military service. The demonstrations highlight the ongoing dispute over the conscription of the ultra-Orthodox community and the absence of legislation regulating their exemption from service, following Israeli Supreme Court rulings.

Earlier in October, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox individuals demonstrated in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, blocking major roads, including sections of Highway 4 and the entrance to Jerusalem. Some clashed with police and drivers, resulting in three arrests for assaulting officers. Protests also included the surrounding of a car carrying an ultra-Orthodox soldier in Jerusalem, before police intervened. One protester was injured and another arrested.

At the beginning of October, Legal Advisor to the Government Gali Baharav-Miara instructed the military to resume preemptive arrests of draft evaders, which had been halted since August. Baharav-Miara emphasized that the lack of enforcement measures, including arrests, is incompatible with security needs and urged the military prosecution to expedite legal proceedings against evaders.