Geha Highway (Highway 4) in central Israel has been reopened in both directions, according to N12. The highway was briefly closed earlier this morning.
As of 09:39 Jerusalem, Geha Highway (Highway 4) has been reopened in both directions, according to N12, after Haredi protesters who had blocked the road since early morning began dispersing. The reopening was reported shortly after police declared the gathering illegal and took enforcement measures.
The closure began around 08:29 Jerusalem, when dozens of activists from the Ratzefnikim faction blocked the Coca-Cola Junction on Highway 4, protesting the arrest of a Haredi draft deserter sentenced to 14 days in military prison, per activist Eli Hirshman. Within minutes, police called on demonstrators to disperse, and one protester was arrested at the Geha Interchange. At 08:29, police officially declared the protest illegal, and reports noted drivers confronting demonstrators. By 08:29, footage showed protesters beginning to comply with the dispersal order, setting the stage for the road's reopening.
The protest was the latest in a series of Haredi demonstrations against military conscription, as The Zioneer reported earlier. The quick resolution followed police warnings and enforcement, including the arrest of one individual for public order violations.
No further arrests or injuries have been reported, and the cause of the closure—the arrest of a draft deserter—remains the subject of the wider protest movement, which continues.
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