Police Warn of Severe Traffic Jams in Tel Aviv Area as Mass Protest and Major Concerts Collide

Thousands of protesters from the Jerusalem Faction are expected to arrive in central Israel today to protest the arrest of yeshiva students, alongside three major concerts by Eyal Golan, Omer Adam and Ben Tzur, which are expected to draw more than 80,000 people. Police are warning of unusual traffic congestion and are urging the public to postpone nonessential travel and prepare for significant disruptions across Gush Dan.

Gush Dan is expected today, Thursday, to face one of the heaviest congestion days recorded in recent years, due to the rare combination of a mass protest by the Jerusalem Faction and three major concerts taking place simultaneously across the center of the country. Police are warning of significant traffic disruptions and are calling on the public to delay nonessential trips.

The Jerusalem Faction announced a large-scale protest over the arrest of yeshiva students and their transfer to military prison. According to the published announcements, thousands of protesters are expected to reach central Israel via a transportation system departing from various cities, including Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, Bnei Brak, Modiin Illit, Elad and Achisamakh. According to estimates, the protest is expected to begin in the afternoon. In the faction’s statement, it said the arrest of 17 yeshiva students and their transfer to military prison constitute, in their words, an “escalation” by the authorities. The faction said it would continue the struggle and hold additional protests across the country.

At the same time as the protest, three major concerts will take place this evening in central Israel. Singer Eyal Golan will perform at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, Omer Adam at Ramat Gan Stadium, and Ben Tzur at HaMoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva. According to estimates, more than 80,000 people are expected to attend the shows, with most of the traffic to the stadium areas expected to begin already in the afternoon. The combination of thousands of protesters and tens of thousands of spectators on the roads is expected to create heavy congestion on the main routes in Gush Dan, along with possible disruptions at intersections and major roads in the area.

Chief Inspector Amir Gibli of the National Traffic Police said, “The Traffic Division of the Israel Police is prepared with reinforced forces and a broad deployment, in light of the expected large number of major events and protests today in the central region. The Israel Police will allow the right to protest to be exercised, but will not permit public disorder, harm to police officers, or endangering road users. We call on people to obey the instructions of the officers, who will be deployed at intersections and on the main roads. We call on drivers in Gush Dan to avoid, ככל הניתן, coming to intercity routes and to postpone nonurgent trips to another time.”