Reserve Soldier Assaulted by Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Outside Legal Advisor's Home in Tel Aviv

Late Monday night, a group of ultra-Orthodox protesters demonstrated outside the Tel Aviv residence of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, shortly after a separate protest by the Gur Hasidic sect near Prison 10 in Kfar Yona. During the Tel Aviv protest, a 30-year-old reserve soldier named Idan Ben David was violently attacked by dozens of ultra-Orthodox men. Ben David recounted that he was walking his dog near his home around midnight when the group, who oppose dogs being nearby, began shouting and physically assaulting him and his dog. He described being surrounded and beaten with kicks and punches until police intervened and took him to a nearby building lobby for safety.

Ben David emphasized that he did not provoke the attack and expressed deep distress over the incident, which left him with torn clothing and a deep scratch on his neck. He criticized the ultra-Orthodox community's contribution to society and highlighted the personal impact on his sense of security in Tel Aviv, a city he described as liberal. He called for public awareness and action through voting to address such societal tensions.

It was noted that the Gur Hasidic protesters had been instructed not to demonstrate at the Attorney General's home, leading most to disperse, with only a small group remaining for a brief protest. The attack on Ben David occurred amid this smaller faction's presence. The incident underscores ongoing friction between ultra-Orthodox groups and broader Israeli society, particularly regarding military service and social integration.