Police forcibly clear protesters after arrest of Netivot yeshiva student sparks road blockade

Police and protesters clashed in southern Israel on Monday afternoon after the arrest of a 22-year-old Netivot resident, Aviel Cohen, on suspicion of draft evasion and failing to report to the enlistment office. The confrontation took place near Ofakim, where dozens of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators blocked roads 25 and 241 and prevented traffic from moving.

Footage from the scene showed some protesters lying down beside a car to stop it from passing. Police officers, including women officers, arrived and began removing demonstrators by force, dragging some of them away in order to reopen the roads. After the operation, police said the roads were returned to traffic.

Israel Police said, “Israel Police allows freedom of protest, but will act decisively against harm to the fabric of life and violation of public order.” The protests erupted after military police detectives arrested Cohen at the Gilat fuel station complex near Ofakim while he was traveling with his wife.

According to the article, word of the arrest spread quickly in ultra-Orthodox communities in southern Israel, bringing local residents to the junction within minutes. Cohen’s father, speaking emotionally, said his son is “a yeshiva student who sits and learns day and night,” describing the arrest as being “for studying Torah.” He also said Cohen’s blind mother was affected and that his young wife was left alone on the road without a driver’s license. Cohen was transferred to the military police detention facility at City of Bahadim.