Journalist Yishai Cohen accused Israeli police of selective and violent enforcement against Haredi protesters blocking Highway 4, arguing that road closures were normalized during the anti-judicial reform protests and that the current harsh response is unjustified. Cohen stated he opposes all road blocking but condemned the police's use of force against Haredi demonstrators.
This morning, journalist Yishai Cohen published a sharp critique of Israeli police conduct during the ongoing Haredi protests, specifically relating to roadblocks on Highway 4. Cohen, who writes for the Haredi outlet Kikar HaShabbat, said he is personally opposed to road blocking but argued that the police response has been 'selective and violent.' He noted that road closures were normalized during the 2023 anti-judicial reform protests, and that using such harsh force now — against Haredi demonstrators in particular — is unjustified. Cohen concluded by calling the police's behavior a 'disgrace to the Israel Police and its commissioner.'
The statement comes amid a fourth day of Haredi protests against the arrest of draft evaders from the Jerusalem faction. Earlier this week, The Zioneer reported on escalating confrontations, including a grenade thrown at protesters and drivers attacking demonstrators. Police have declared several protests illegal and used dispersal measures. Cohen's commentary adds a prominent Haredi media voice to the criticism of police tactics, framing the enforcement disparity as a matter of selective treatment rather than the legality of the protests.
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