The IDF reported that hundreds of radical protesters forcibly entered the Beit Lid military base on Tuesday evening, breaching the Neve Tzedek military prison compound. Military Police responded and removed all protesters, bringing the incident under control. The protest was sparked by the arrest of a Haredi man accused of evading mandatory military service.
The IDF confirmed that hundreds of radical protesters breached the Beit Lid military base on Tuesday evening, entering the compound that houses the Neve Tzedek military prison. Military Police forces responded and removed all protesters, bringing the incident under control. The confirmation arrives after the IDF initially reported that the protesters had been cleared and the incident concluded, as reflected in earlier Zioneer updates. The breach was sparked by the arrest of a Haredi man accused of evading mandatory military service, and represents the most serious escalation in the ongoing protests against military conscription enforcement for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.
The Zioneer began reporting on the protest at 18:53 Jerusalem on Wednesday, when yeshiva students and rabbis began rallying outside Prison 10 at the Beit Lid base (version 1, published 18:53 Jerusalem). Within minutes, footage showed protesters clashing with a soldier at the gates (version 7), and by 18:53, protesters had breached the prison perimeter (version 6). The IDF then reported that Military Police had removed all protesters and the incident was over (version 8), and later confirmed that the compound had been cleared (this update). The timeline of the breach itself was initially reported by sources at the scene as occurring Wednesday evening, but the IDF's official statement now places the breach on Tuesday evening.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past weeks, the protest is part of a broader wave of Haredi demonstrations against the drafting of yeshiva students. On June 11, protests spread to multiple cities after draft dodger arrests (The Zioneer, June 11). On June 17, extremist Haredim protested outside Beit Lid base, and on June 22, activists blocked the entrance to the Beit Lid military prison. On July 7, Haredi activists blocked the entrance to the IDF Central Command base in Jerusalem. The breach at Beit Lid is the most severe incident in this campaign, with hundreds entering a military base.
The IDF has not released further details about the arrested individual or whether any injuries occurred during the breach. The specific circumstances that allowed the breach—whether protesters overwhelmed guards or found an unsecured point of entry—remain unclear. The Zioneer continues to monitor the situation.
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