Ultra-Orthodox Protest in Bnei Brak Condemns IDF Chief Amid Draft Opposition

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters gathered in Bnei Brak on Monday evening to oppose the military draft, in a rally led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, a member of Shas' Council of Torah Sages. The event featured participation from Knesset members Yoav Ben-Tzur, Michael Malchieli, and Yonatan Mishraki. Rabbi Aryeh Yazdi harshly criticized IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, calling him "accursed" and condemning the imprisonment of a soldier who placed a note saying 'Messiah' in his belongings. He urged attendees not to enlist in the army. Conversely, Rabbi Shabtai Levi appealed for restraint, advising against slander, violence, or blocking roads, emphasizing that such actions are not the way of Torah scholars. However, he linked Israel's struggles against Hamas and Hezbollah to a lack of respect for the Torah.

In response, Defense Minister Israel Katz strongly condemned the inflammatory remarks made against the IDF Chief of Staff at the rally. Katz praised the military leadership for their role in protecting Israel and called any incitement against them unacceptable and dangerous. He stressed the importance of maintaining respect for those responsible for national security, even amid public disagreements, and expressed full support for the IDF leadership and soldiers in their ongoing mission to defend the country.