Haredi protesters began blocking the Geha interchange on Thursday afternoon, with some participants shouting 'Die in Gaza, terrorists,' according to reports.
In an escalation of Thursday afternoon’s Haredi protests against IDF conscription, demonstrators blocking the Geha interchange were heard shouting “Die in Gaza, terrorists,” according to reports from the scene. The new development, reported at around 17:24 Jerusalem, marks a sharpening of rhetoric during the ongoing blockade, which began shortly after 15:59 Jerusalem.
The protest evolved rapidly after police announced a closure of Highway 4 between the Aluf Sade and Em Hamoshavot interchanges at 15:59 Jerusalem. Within minutes, multiple news outlets, including i24NEWS and N12, reported that the Geha interchange itself was blocked, followed by reports of a blockade on Jabotinsky Street and then Highway 4 near Bnei Brak during rush hour. The corroboration shifted from a single police announcement to real-time reports from at least two independent newsrooms, confirming the scale of the disruption.
The demonstrations are part of an ongoing campaign against mandatory IDF conscription. As The Zioneer reported on June 24, Haredi protesters blocked a bus carrying soldiers near Jerusalem. On June 12, hundreds of Haredi demonstrators confronted police in Ashdod to prevent the arrest of a draft deserter. These earlier incidents underscore the pattern of confrontational tactics used in the current wave of protests.
No police statement has been issued regarding the shouted slogans, and it remains unclear whether any arrests were made during the blockade. The duration of the closure and the exact number of participants have not been independently confirmed.
6 developments
- DevelopingHaredi and left-wing activists block Highway 4 in joint protest
- StrongHaredi protesters block Jerusalem light rail, clash with civilians as Sephardic rally begins
- StrongDrivers lose patience, attack Haredi protesters on Highway 4
- StrongHaredi protesters block highways, halt trains across central Israel
Source and signal
- Internal intake