Hundreds of Haredi protesters block road near Ofakim over draft-dodger arrest

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators protested on Monday at the Gilat junction near Ofakim, blocking the main road in anger over the Military Police arrest of a draft evader. The rally escalated into unrest, with some protesters preventing cars from passing. Police were called to the scene and said they were working to restore public order after what they described as rioters who had come to the junction to disrupt daily life, adding, “We will act decisively.”

Overnight, several signs were hung at the entrances to Haredi cities and in places with large Haredi populations, including Ashdod and Jerusalem, calling on Military Police personnel to stay out and refrain from making arrests in the city. A sign posted in Jerusalem was removed in the morning.

The confrontation is part of a broader Haredi campaign against arrests of draft evaders and against the enlistment law. The struggle reached a peak last Thursday, when extremists blocked major roads in central Israel for about two hours, including Route 4, Route 6 and Route 1. Train service in the area was also disrupted.

Two protesters were moderately injured after being hit by passing cars near the blocked roads in central Israel. The latest protest near Ofakim shows the dispute continuing to intensify, with police now confronting new road closures and public disorder.