Military police arrested a 29-year-old father of five from the Belz Hasidic community when he arrived at an IDF recruitment center to regularize his status, according to the sect's own officials. Community activists are working to secure his release.
A 29-year-old draft evader from the Belz Hasidic community was arrested by military police Thursday evening when he voluntarily arrived at an IDF recruitment center to regularize his status, according to a sect official cited by journalist Hershkowitz. The man, a father of five, is described by the community as an "oreik" — a draft evader in the Haredi context. Belz community activists are working to secure his release.
This is the third known arrest in the Haredi draft-evasion crackdown this week. Earlier Thursday, military police arrested a Belz yeshiva student in Beit Shemesh, drawing condemnation from Shas lawmakers who joined a protest rally outside a military prison. The IDF's conscription enforcement against Haredi men has intensified in recent months as the legal framework requiring military service for yeshiva students is being enforced more stringently. The full scope of the enforcement operation and the number of those arrested remains unclear.
2 developments
- StrongShas MKs, rabbi join Haredi protest rally outside military prison over draft-evader arrest
- StrongExtremist Haredim protest outside Beit Lid military base against draft-evader arrests
- DevelopingRally outside military prison for draft-dodging yeshiva graduate draws MKs, rabbi
- DevelopingSenior Israeli police officers urge halting proactive arrests of Haredi draft evaders
Source and signal
- Internal intake