Haredi Protesters Clash With Police in Jerusalem Over Draft Evasion Arrest
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Hundreds of Haredi Jews clashed with Israeli police in Jerusalem on Sunday evening to protest the arrest of Ya'iri Lieberman, who was wanted for military service. The demonstrators blocked the light rail, causing service disruptions, and police used water cannons and stun grenades to disperse them. Lieberman was arrested days after his wedding and sentenced to 20 days in military prison. The incident is part of a broader Haredi protest against mandatory military service for religious students.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Around 200 Haredi protesters clashed with Israeli police in Jerusalem on Sunday.
- The protest was against the arrest of Ya'iri Lieberman for evading military service.
- Demonstrators blocked the light rail, causing service disruptions in the city.
- Police used water cannons and stun grenades to disperse the illegal demonstration.
- Lieberman was arrested days after his wedding and sentenced to 20 days.
- The incident highlights ongoing tensions over Haredi conscription exemptions.
Clashes erupted Sunday evening in Jerusalem between approximately 200 Haredi ultra-Orthodox Jews and Israeli police. The protest was sparked by the arrest of Ya'iri Lieberman, a Haredi man wanted for military service. Demonstrators blocked the light rail train on "Shabtai Israel" street, disrupting train services in the area. Israeli reports indicated police used water cannons and stun grenades to disperse the protesters after declaring the demonstration illegal. The area saw confrontations and traffic closures.
The protests followed Lieberman's arrest as he was descending a bus with his bride, en route to their wedding celebration, just days after their marriage. Lieberman was transferred to military prison and subsequently sentenced to 20 days.
Lieberman's arrest marks a new development in ongoing confrontations related to the detention of Haredi men evading military service. In early October, military police attempted to arrest him, but hundreds of Haredim gathered, leading to clashes and the forces' withdrawal without an arrest.
These clashes occur amid escalating protests by radical Haredi factions against the conscription of young religious Jews into the army. They oppose the pursuit and arrest of those who evade military service, reflecting ongoing political and legal disputes over the exemption of yeshiva students from conscription.
Jerusalem and other Israeli cities have witnessed similar protests in recent weeks, involving confrontations with police and the closure of major streets and thoroughfares, in objection to the arrest of individuals wanted for military service. The light rail closure on Sunday evening resulted in the line operating on two separate segments, with service suspended between them.
