Haredi Edah Closed All Its Kolels: 'Relentless War With Self-Sacrifice at the Gates of Prisons Across the Country'

In an unusual move, the members of the Edah HaChareidis beit din announced in the afternoon that people should “go out in protest, in a relentless war with self-sacrifice, at the gates of the various prisons across the country, to stop the destroyer.” Following the directive, all of the Edah’s kolels were closed, and the avrechim went out to demonstrate in Jerusalem against the arrest of yeshiva students and enlistment in the IDF.

The escalating wave of protests across the country: Edah HaChareidis said today, Wednesday, in the afternoon, that its supporters should join the protests that broke out earlier in the day following the arrest of yeshiva students. In a statement from the Edah, delivered by members of the Edah HaChareidis beit din headed by Rabbi M. Shternbuch, it said that “following the authorities’ attempt to hand over dozens of boys and avrechim to the military prison, everyone is obligated to go out in protest in a relentless war with self-sacrifice at the gates of the various prisons across the country, to stop the destroyer.”

Following the directive, all of the Edah HaChareidis kolels were closed, and the many avrechim joined the protests that had already begun at several locations, including Jerusalem. The protests began a little more than an hour earlier, with the participation of members of the Jerusalem Faction, at Russian Compound in Jerusalem and in Abu Kabir. The reason for the protest was the police’s intention to transfer 19 yeshiva students who were arrested to the IDF, following the decision of Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg.

According to a statement distributed by the Jerusalem Faction, the protests are taking place simultaneously at four main sites: in Beit Shemesh and the south, near Nitzan Prison in Ramla; in Jerusalem, at Russian Compound; in the north and the Sharon region, near Hadarim Prison on Route 4 between Ra’anana and Netanya; and in Bnei Brak and the center, in the Abu Kabir area.

In Jerusalem, clashes developed between the protesters and the police, who dispersed them forcefully, including by using stun grenades. According to the police, protesters attacked officers, threw objects and refused to obey the instructions of the forces at the scene. The police added that “police forces and Border Police, Yasam and Meta unit fighters operated to clear the roads and push back those disturbing the order, while using crowd-control measures, including stun grenades and police mounted officers. The forces continue to operate at the scene in order to restore order and keep the roads open.”

As remembered, on Wednesday last week dozens of protesters הגיעו to the home of a Supreme Court justice and broke his windows. The protesters caused damage to the entrance to the house and broke vases and flowerpots. Large police forces that arrived in the area arrested more than 70 people in the incident.