Jerusalem Faction Storms Bnei Brak Kindergarten, Sparking Violent Clashes

Tensions erupted in Bnei Brak's Pardes Katz neighborhood over the weekend when a group from the "Jerusalem Faction" forcibly entered a kindergarten complex belonging to the "Kisei Rachamim" institutions. The incident began with complaints from a nearby girls' school affiliated with the Jerusalem Faction regarding a lack of space, escalating into a forceful invasion, unauthorized use of facilities, and physical altercations witnessed by young children.

The Kisei Rachamim boys' kindergarten has operated for approximately 30 years. The Jerusalem Faction's girls' school was established nearby in recent years. Facing overcrowding, the girls' school representatives approached the municipality for expansion. Mayor Hanoch Zeibert had previously attempted to broker an agreement with Kisei Rachamim for a portion of the land, which the institution had agreed to in principle, provided a suitable alternative site was secured for their preschoolers.

However, before a formal solution was presented by the municipality, individuals from the Jerusalem Faction took matters into their own hands. On Thursday night, the fence between the two compounds was breached. The following day, female students were unilaterally moved into one of the kindergarten classrooms, and during recess, more girls entered the kindergarten's yard. The situation worsened Thursday evening when Kisei Rachamim staff arrived to repair the fence, only to be confronted by dozens of Jerusalem Faction members who prevented the repairs, dismantled painted drywall, and physically clashed with the workers. Police called to the scene faced strong resistance and required reinforcements to disperse the intruders.

On Friday morning, the conflict reached its peak as school members occupied kindergarten rooms. The kindergarten's tables and chairs were overturned, and educational equipment was damaged. Fights broke out, with parents protesting the disruption and the repair worker being assaulted. One parent described the scene as "heartbreaking" and causing "severe and unnecessary trauma" to the children.

Behind the scenes, representatives from the girls' school reportedly admitted that the land legally belongs to Kisei Rachamim but justified their actions due to severe overcrowding. Kisei Rachamim rejected this, stating that space constraints do not permit violent invasion and property damage. Official documents from the Bnei Brak Municipality's legal department confirm Kisei Rachamim's undisputed rights to the property for the current academic year, undermining the faction's claims and highlighting municipal enforcement failures.

Deputy Mayor Shlomi Elharrar attempted to intervene but was reportedly met with indifference from senior officials who deemed it an internal dispute. The Jerusalem Faction's school principal allegedly refused responsibility, attributing the political management of the issue to their representative on the city council, Menachem Carmel. Following the severe clashes and police intervention on Friday evening, an interim agreement was reached: the Jerusalem Faction members pledged to vacate the premises within hours, with the police mandating the municipality's official intervention after Shabbat to enforce legal approvals and restore order.