Massive Traffic Jams Hit Road 4 Near Bnei Brak Amid Ultra-Orthodox Protest Against IDF Draft

Heavy traffic congestion has developed on Road 4 due to a protest by ultra-Orthodox Jews opposing military conscription into the Israel Defense Forces. The demonstration was sparked by the arrest of a draft evader after nearly three weeks without any detentions. Police announced preparations for traffic delays stretching from Aluf Sadeh Interchange to Em HaMoshavot, as well as on Jabotinsky Road in Bnei Brak.

According to Shas MK Moshe Abutbul, the arrested individual is a yeshiva student summoned to testify at Lahav 433 regarding a fraud case. After his testimony, a police officer escorted him to a parking lot and handed him over to the military police. However, police sources clarified that the suspect was called for questioning in a separate case and was transferred to military police only after it was discovered he was a draft evader. They emphasized that if he had been a victim providing testimony, he would not have been handed over to the IDF.

The coalition had passed a law protecting draft evaders from arrest until elections, but it was suspended by a Supreme Court interim order. Since the IDF lacks legal tools to detain draft evaders and police do not assist, and given that arrests in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods often provoke violent responses against military police, very few draft evaders are actually arrested in Israel.