Tensions Rise Over Weekend Roadblocks in Bnei Brak's Mixed Neighborhood

In Bnei Brak's Ayelet Hashahar neighborhood, also known as the "Supermarket Complex," weekend road closures have sparked significant tension among residents. The area, home to a diverse population including non-observant Jews, has seen repeated physical blockades of key traffic routes from Friday evening to Saturday night. The recent opening of the Harling Bridge, connecting the neighborhood directly to Em HaMoshavot Road, intensified the situation. Following requests from residents seeking to preserve Sabbath quiet, the local traffic committee approved closing the bridge to vehicles on weekends. However, unofficial and improvised barriers have also been placed on internal streets by local groups, leading to verbal and physical confrontations between passersby and those enforcing the closures.

A particularly severe incident occurred recently when a local resident, who is also a paramedic, was attacked with a Swedish key and required hospital treatment. The Bnei Brak municipality stated that the neighborhood is predominantly Sabbath-observant and aims to maintain its character during Shabbat and Jewish holidays. They noted that prior to the bridge's opening, the traffic committee had repeatedly rejected calls to close the area on Shabbat due to limited access points. After the bridge opened, the committee authorized its closure on Shabbat but kept another entrance via the Design Center open throughout the week to accommodate all residents. The municipality condemned those inciting conflict and violating city laws, emphasizing that such provocations and violence are unacceptable.