Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Plan to Block Gaha Road Over Draft Evasion Arrest

Today at 5:00 PM, ultra-Orthodox protesters are expected to block Gaha Road or Zabotinsky Street near Bnei Brak in central Israel. The demonstration is in response to the arrest of a yeshiva student who was detained after a problem with his Rav-Kav transit card revealed he was a draft evader. The student, Israel Gohfi, a member of the Beit Midrash Elyon yeshiva in Bnei Brak, recently transferred to the Kfar Hassidim yeshiva and was stopped by police in Haifa. Upon discovering his draft evasion status, he was handed over to the military police and taken to a military prison.

The protest is organized by the "Hertzfaniks," followers of Rabbi Zvi Friedman, who have pledged to demonstrate against any arrest of draft evaders from their community. The group has not yet confirmed the exact location or time of the protest, but based on previous actions, they typically block traffic around 5:00 PM for about two and a half hours. The organization "Am Kadosh," which supports draft evaders, issued a statement condemning the arrest and described it as a kidnapping of a Torah scholar.

This event highlights ongoing tensions between the ultra-Orthodox community and Israeli authorities over military conscription enforcement. The protest is expected to cause significant traffic disruptions in the area this afternoon.