Israeli police said they mistakenly attacked a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) man in Ashdod on Sunday morning, claiming he fled and refused to identify during a court-ordered operation. The man was later released. MK Yitzhak Goldknopf condemned the violence, saying it reflects a 'climate that permits the blood of Torah-observant Jews.'
The incident, first reported by The Zioneer at 11:36, involved a Haredi man who was forcibly arrested and assaulted by police in Ashdod on mistaken identity. Police now say they acted on a court order, the man fled and refused to identify, and the mistake was discovered only later, leading to his release. MK Yitzhak Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism) sharply criticized the police, stating that the brutality is a product of a public climate that has permitted the blood of Torah-observant Jews. The case adds to ongoing tensions between parts of the Haredi community and law enforcement over issues including military conscription, though the police statement did not connect this incident to wider controversies.
3 developments
- DevelopingPolice detain Haredi man, then release him as crowd gathers
- StrongHundreds of Haredim block police in Ashdod to prevent arrest of draft deserter — who is not Haredi
- DevelopingHaredi activists block Highway 4 in Ashdod, force police to release draft deserter
- DevelopingHaredi man says he was attacked, robbed, and cannot report it over desertion status
Source and signal
- Internal intake