According to the IDF, Haredi rioters entered the Beit Lid military base, which houses the Neve Tzedek prison and military courts, during an illegal protest against the arrest of a draft evader. Military Police removed all rioters and the incident has concluded.
The IDF confirmed Wednesday evening that Haredi rioters had breached the Beit Lid military base, which houses the Neve Tzedek prison and military courts, during an illegal protest against the arrest of a draft evader. The military stated that the protest began outside the base and turned violent, with protesters forcing their way into the compound. Military Police forces removed all the rioters, and the incident has concluded.
The breach was the climax of a rapidly escalating protest that began at 18:53 Jerusalem, when yeshiva students and several rabbis gathered outside Prison 10 at the base, according to reports from journalist Eli Hirshman. Within minutes, protesters were documented clashing with soldiers at the gates, and then breaking into the prison itself. The IDF initially reported that the protest had ended with the removal of all protesters. The new bulletin adds the detail that the breach occurred specifically during the protest against the arrest of a draft evader, and that the protest was declared illegal.
The demonstration is part of an ongoing wave of ultra-Orthodox protests against the military's enforcement of conscription for yeshiva students. As The Zioneer has reported, similar protests have occurred at Beit Lid and other military sites in recent weeks, including a blockade of the entrance to the IDF Central Command base in Jerusalem on July 7 and confrontations in Ashdod on June 12. Another protest at Beit Lid on June 22 saw activists block the entrance to the military prison.
It remains unclear whether the detained draft evader had indeed come to the recruitment office seeking an exemption, as protesters claimed, and whether any arrests were made among the protesters. The IDF has not provided further details on the breach or any damage.
10 developments
- StrongExtremist Haredim protest outside Beit Lid military base against draft-evader arrests
- StrongHaredi protest convoys begin arriving at Prison 10 in Beit Lid
- DevelopingExtremist Haredi activists block entrance to Beit Lid military prison
- DevelopingPolice declare Haredi protest illegal, move to disperse rioters
Source and signal
- Internal intake