Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Clash With Supporters Outside Jerusalem Cafe Open on Sabbath

For the fifth consecutive Saturday, ultra-Orthodox protesters gathered outside the "Basemta" cafe in Jerusalem to oppose its operation on the Sabbath. The demonstrators attempted to breach police barriers, leading to confrontations with local residents and activists from the "Hitorerut" movement who came to support the cafe's owners.

Adir Schwartz, Jerusalem's Deputy Mayor and chairman of Hitorerut, condemned the violence, calling it an unacceptable attempt to intimidate the Zionist public and impose a lifestyle through coercion. He urged the Israeli police to act decisively to stop the rioters and uphold law and order, emphasizing that Jerusalem belongs to all its residents and rejecting any violent control over public spaces.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, also visited the cafe, advocating for coexistence and criticizing the vandalism by the protesters. He stated that such energy should be directed against external threats like Hamas and Hezbollah, not peaceful citizens in Jerusalem. Lieberman warned that if his party comes to power, protesters would be conscripted into military service, implying no tolerance for such demonstrations in the future.