According to Haredi activist reports, extremist circles sent voice messages mass-mobilizing followers to the Gilat Junction near Ofakim to block the military police arrest of a Haredi draft deserter. Large crowds arrived, but the deserter was handed over to military police; protesters remain on the road blocking traffic.
The ongoing crisis over Haredi draft evasion saw new unrest on Monday after extremist Haredi circles sent out voice messages calling for a mass mobilization to the Gilat Junction near Ofakim to block the arrest of a Haredi draft deserter. According to activist reports, large crowds arrived at the scene, but the deserter was ultimately handed over to military police. Demonstrators remain on the road blocking traffic.
This is the latest in a series of confrontations between Haredi protesters and Israeli security forces over proactive arrests of draft evaders. As The Zioneer reported, earlier on Monday, Haredi protesters blocked the same junction in a similar incident that ended with the deserter being handed over. Over the weekend, hundreds of Haredim blocked police in Ashdod to prevent the arrest of a draft deserter who turned out not to be Haredi. Senior police officials have reportedly urged a halt to proactive arrests to de-escalate tensions.
The pattern — mass mobilization alerts via voice messages or social media, rapid convergence at the scene, and road blockades — has emerged as the main tactic of extremist Haredi circles opposing military conscription. Police have not yet issued a statement on Monday's incident.
2 developments
- StrongHundreds of Haredim block police in Ashdod to prevent arrest of draft deserter — who is not Haredi
- DevelopingHaredi activists block Highway 4 in Ashdod, force police to release draft deserter
- DevelopingHaredi protesters try to block extradition of draft evaders to military police in Jerusalem
- DevelopingTraffic police hold Haredi draft evader on Highway 85, activists call for protest
Source and signal
- Internal intake