Traffic congestion is mounting across central Israel as a planned Haredi protest begins, police say. The public is being advised to avoid unnecessary travel, according to official warnings.
Heavy traffic congestion is now building across central Israel as Haredi protesters take to the roads Wednesday afternoon, according to police warnings. The fast-moving bottlenecks began at around 16:00, shortly after organizers launched convoys from 19 cities toward Military Prison 10 near Beit Lid. Vehicles are traveling at slow speeds, causing gridlock on highways 1, 2, 4, and 6.
As The Zioneer reported Tuesday at 21:32 Jerusalem, police had already warned of congestion on those routes. Earlier reports Tuesday described convoys of up to 2,000 vehicles registered by organizers—though police estimated a smaller turnout of 600–800 cars. The tactical shift to slow-moving car convoys (20-30 km/h, later 50 km/h) was noted as early as Tuesday by commentator Shalom Yerushalmi, who reported that the hardline Jerusalem Faction planned to block roads with posters and loudspeakers. By Wednesday, journalists had confirmed coordinated departures from 19 cities at 16:00.
This latest wave of protests follows weeks of demonstrations against the arrest of Haredi draft evaders, with previous incidents including a blockade of major highways and train lines on June 11, as The Zioneer reported. The broader campaign has seen mass mobilization alerts, confrontations with police—including a rare incident on Highway 6 where a female driver brandished a sharp object at protesters—and eventual dispersal only after rabbinical instruction.
It remains unclear exactly how many vehicles are actively participating, which specific routes are most affected, and whether the protests will continue into the evening or adhere to the afternoon timeline.
16 developments
- StrongHaredi protest organizers say they will block roads if convoys are disrupted
- DevelopingPolice declare Haredi protest illegal, move to disperse rioters
- DevelopingHaredi protesters disperse after rabbis order: following run-over incident
- StrongHaredi protesters begin dispersing after rabbinical order
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