Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Block Geha Interchange Over Draft Evasion Arrest

On Monday evening, ultra-Orthodox protesters blocked the Geha Interchange and Zabotinsky Street, which separates the cities of Petah Tikva and Bnei Brak, to protest the arrest of a draft-dodging ultra-Orthodox man. The demonstrators sat on the road and chanted slogans such as "Better to die as a Haredi than live as a secular," "The army is worse than death," and "Not Auschwitz but no army." The police declared the protest illegal and announced plans to forcibly remove the protesters soon.

The protest followed the detention of Israel Gohfi, a Torah scholar and student at the Beit Midrash Elyon yeshiva in Bnei Brak. According to a statement from the "Holy Nation" organization, which assists draft evaders, Gohfi had recently transferred to the Kfar Hassidim yeshiva and was arrested by police in Haifa due to a problem with his public transportation card while on his way to Rekhasim. He was handed over to the military police and detained in a military prison.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the ultra-Orthodox community and Israeli authorities over military conscription policies and enforcement.