Police Warn Drivers as Jerusalem Faction Protests Expected to Snarl Central Israel

The police are warning of severe traffic congestion in the Gush Dan area following protests by the Jerusalem Faction and other large events expected later this evening. The faction earlier called for using the train network.

The Jerusalem Faction announced yesterday that it would hold mass protests today, Thursday, in the afternoon, בעקבות the arrest of yeshiva students who failed to report to enlistment offices, and Israel Police are preparing. It should be noted that, in addition to the faction’s protests, several major events are also expected this evening, which are also likely to cause disruptions in the central region.

Chief Superintendent Amir Gibli, head of the National Traffic Police, was quoted by N12 as saying, "The Israel Police Traffic Division is prepared with reinforced forces and broad deployment, in light of the expectation of many large events and protests today in the central area. The Israel Police will allow the right to protest to be exercised, but will not permit a breach of public order, harm to police officers, or endangerment of road users. We call on people to obey the instructions of the police, who will be deployed at intersections and main roads."

He also added a call to drivers: "We call on the driving public in Gush Dan to avoid, ככל האפשר, reaching intercity routes and to postpone non-urgent trips to another time."

Earlier today, reports in Kikar HaShabbat said that, according to assessments, the blockages will not focus only on the main routes in Gush Dan, but will spread to surprising locations across the country. A strong hint of the new tactic appeared in an internal instruction sent to the protesters, in which they were explicitly asked not to disrupt train traffic. The meaning, according to assessments, is an intention to use the national rail network to quickly transport masses of protesters to the various protest sites around the country.

At the same time, congestion is expected around the performances of singer Omer Adam at Ramat Gan Stadium, Eyal Golan at Bloomfield Stadium, and Ben Tzur at HaMoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva. Heavy traffic is expected from the afternoon on the main roads and at train stations in the area. The main congestion points are expected to be Highway 4, the Geha Interchange, the Ayalon Routes, Namir Road, Derech Hashalom, Jabotinsky Road, and access roads to Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, and southern Tel Aviv.

Israel Railways said it is significantly reinforcing service, including operating special trains to various destinations across the country, extending regular train routes, and increasing preparedness at the Bnei Brak and Petah Tikva Kiryat Aryeh stations.

In a statement published shortly after midnight by the Jerusalem Faction, it was written: "In the last hour, the police completed transferring the 17 draft evaders, yeshiva students arrested in the Solberg events, to military prison. In doing so, the Israel Police crossed another red line and effectively declared a severe escalation in the obsessive persecution that state authorities are conducting against Torah scholars."

"Tomorrow we will all go out to a determined and uncompromising struggle for the honor of the Torah and its learners, in a clear cry that will be heard throughout the country," the statement said.