Ultra-Orthodox Extremists Protest at Several Sites Across Israel Over Plan to Hand Draft Evaders to the Army

Ultra-Orthodox extremists from the Jerusalem Faction took to the streets this afternoon (Wednesday) in protests at four locations across the country. The demonstrations began over the police's intention to transfer 19 yeshiva students, draft evaders who were arrested during riots last week outside the home of Deputy President of the Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg, to the army.

In the Jerusalem area, a protest began at Russian Compound, as well as in Bnei Brak and Abu Kabir. In the Beit Shemesh and southern areas, Ultra-Orthodox protesters demonstrated outside Nitzan Prison in Ramla, while in the Sharon area protests were recorded at Hadarim Prison and on Route 4, on the stretch between Ra'anana and Netanya.

Exactly one week ago, dozens of ultra-Orthodox extremists הגיעו to the home of Justice Noam Solberg in Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion and rioted in protest against the arrest of draft evaders and the exemption-from-conscription law. During the serious incident, in which the judge and his family were at home, some of the protesters smashed the building's windows, and dozens were arrested by security forces.

Solberg's wife, Meira, addressed the difficult incident outside her home and said, "I have no other country, I am not going anywhere. I am not going anywhere. It cannot be that Jews hurt each other like this. This is destruction, a pogrom. What is this, Kristallnacht?"

The head of the Jerusalem Faction, Rabbi Azriel Auerbach, called for intensifying the protests: "This is not a time for silence, and there is a doubled and multiplied obligation to protest the desecration of the Torah," his statement said.

These events add to a series of clashes in recent weeks. Two days before the incident in Gush Etzion, dozens of ultra-Orthodox extremists broke into the Beit Shemesh police station, set bushes on fire, threw stones and tried to block Route 38, following rumors that a draft evader was being held there. In addition, at the beginning of last month, demonstrators gathered outside the home of the commander of the Military Police, Brig. Gen. Yuval Yamin, in Ashkelon, and tried to break into the compound before being dispersed by police.