Beitar Illit Mayor Calls for Mass Strike, Inspired by Anti-Judicial Reform Protests
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Beitar Illit Mayor Meir Rubenstein urged the Haredi public to stage a mass strike and paralyze the country in response to the arrest of Haredi draft dodgers. Leaked recordings reveal Rubenstein was inspired by protests against the judicial reform, suggesting similar tactics like blocking intersections and going to Tel Aviv. He also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak. The report coincides with a sharp rise in draft evaders, with 110,000 currently evading IDF service, 80% of whom are Haredi.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Beitar Illit Mayor Meir Rubenstein called for a mass strike to paralyze Israel over Haredi draft dodger arrests.
- Rubenstein cited protests against the judicial reform as a model for Haredi public action.
- He suggested Haredi protesters should go to Tel Aviv and block intersections.
- The mayor criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "bandit" influenced by pressure.
- Rubenstein also attacked former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak.
- The report comes amid a surge in draft evaders, with 110,000, 80% Haredi, evading IDF service.
Meir Rubenstein, the mayor of the Haredi city of Beitar Illit, has called for the Haredi public to launch a mass struggle that would paralyze the country, following the arrests of Haredi draft dodgers. These calls were revealed in leaked recordings of internal conversations from several months ago, broadcast Wednesday by Kan News.
Rubenstein detailed methods for the protest in the recordings, drawing inspiration from the demonstrations against the judicial reform. "How did they stop the judicial reform? Weapons? What weapons, nonsense. The traffic light! They made it colorblind, paralyzed the country. What's permissible for them is permissible for us. They taught us how to wage a struggle," he stated. He added, "They came to Bnei Brak, we will go to Tel Aviv. We need to start limping at intersections, limping the country. Gentlemen, this can be stopped."
In the recordings, Rubenstein also commented on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him "a liar, a fool" and a "bandit." He suggested that Netanyahu operates based on pressure levels, noting that "as soon as protests against the judicial reform began, his statements against this thing decreased."
Rubenstein further attacked former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, referring to him as the "chairman of the Council of Torah Sages" for secular people and stating that he "sits in a wheelchair like a dog." A response was not provided by Rubenstein's office. The report also noted that the government is delaying the revocation of benefits for draft dodgers, with a sharp increase to 110,000 evaders, 80% of whom are Haredi.