Highway 4 near Bnei Brak was blocked to traffic at the busiest hour of the week due to a Haredi protest, according to i24NEWS.
Highway 4 near Bnei Brak was blocked to traffic during the Thursday evening rush hour, the busiest of the week, as Haredi protesters demonstrated against IDF conscription, according to i24NEWS. The blockade is the latest development in a wave of protests that began earlier today: at 15:59 Jerusalem, police announced the closure of Highway 4 between the Aluf Sade and Em Hamoshavot interchanges; within minutes, protesters were reported blocking the Geha Interchange and Jabotinsky Street, and by 16:00, road blockades were underway in Bnei Brak.
As The Zioneer reported at 15:59 Jerusalem, the initial police announcement was followed by rapid confirmation from multiple Israeli news outlets, with N12 reporting protesters on the ground at the Geha Interchange and later on Jabotinsky Street. The thread shows a progression from an official traffic advisory to active, multi-location blockades within the same hour, with corroboration shifting from a single police statement to independent reports from the scene.
The protests are part of a broader Haredi campaign against military conscription. On Monday, June 15, activists blocked Highway 4 in Ashdod to force the release of a draft deserter, as The Zioneer reported. On Wednesday, June 17, police dispersed a protest on Highway 4 near Bnei Brak, leaving eight lightly wounded. On Tuesday, June 23, Highway 6 was blocked. The current demonstration follows a police announcement earlier Thursday of expected protests by extremist Haredi groups.
The duration of the blockade and any police response, including arrests, remain unconfirmed. It is not yet clear whether the protest is directly linked to the arrest of draft evaders, as in previous incidents.
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