IDF Military Police Arrest Yeshiva Student at Home in Kiryat Shmuel at Night

Around 11 p.m. Monday night, Israeli military police dressed in civilian clothes raided the home of 22-year-old yeshiva student Shmuel Calderon in Kiryat Shmuel, part of the Krayot area, and arrested him. Calderon, a graduate of the Harav Pari Yeshiva in Haifa, was immediately transferred to the military detention camp in Jalameh. During the night, he contacted his family to update them on his condition and, following guidance from the organization "Am Kadosh," spoke with a lawyer to receive initial legal advice ahead of his upcoming military court hearing. Calderon is expected to be moved today to the Neve Tzedek military prison (Prison 10) and to appear before a military judge.

The organization "Am Kadosh," which monitors the issue of yeshiva students' conscription, described the arrest as unusual, noting that similar arrests of draft-dodgers at family homes in urban areas have not occurred recently. The last known case was about six weeks ago in Beersheba, when Nitai Dahan was arrested at home. "Am Kadosh" warned that the late-night home arrest could reignite protests and demonstrations against the enforcement of conscription laws on yeshiva students.

In a statement, "Am Kadosh" condemned what it called severe persecution of the ultra-Orthodox community by authorities, accusing them of imprisoning young men without any legal offense solely for their commitment to Torah study and religious observance. The organization pledged to strongly oppose this persecution and to protect the students by all possible means.