Haredi Protests Resume Over Arrest of Draft-Dodger Suspect in Central Israel

Haredi protests are set to resume in central Israel following the arrest of a draft-dodger suspect who was detained after arriving at the Lahav 433 police unit. The suspect, a young Haredi man, was summoned to Lahav 433 on Monday for questioning in a case involving forged driving licenses. After providing testimony, he was taken into custody by the military police and transferred to a military prison.

Supporters of Rabbi Tzvi Friedman, whose students are leading the protests, claim the arrest violates a police chief's commitment that Haredi draft-dodgers could come to police stations to give testimony without fear of detention. The police, however, clarified that the suspect was summoned as a suspect, not a witness, and thus the directive did not apply. They explained that upon discovering the suspect was also wanted by the military police, they followed standard procedure and handed him over for further processing.

The renewed protests are expected to begin at 5 p.m. near Bnei Brak and on major roads such as Geha Road and Jabotinsky Street, with anticipated significant traffic disruptions in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Shas MK Moshe Abutbul has called on Police Commissioner Dany Levi to investigate the incident, describing it as a serious breach of trust that could undermine public confidence in law enforcement.

The police emphasized that if the individual had been a victim or witness, he would not have been transferred to military custody, underscoring that the suspect was involved in a criminal investigation. The case has reignited tensions between the Haredi community and Israeli authorities regarding military conscription and police conduct.