Israeli police advised drivers of expected traffic congestion on Highways 1, 2, and 4 on Wednesday afternoon, as Haredi protesters prepare to demonstrate against the arrest of draft evaders. Authorities urged motorists to plan alternate routes.
Police issued a traffic advisory on Wednesday afternoon warning of congestion on Highways 1, 2, and 4, as Haredi protesters assemble for a convoy protest against draft-evader arrests. The advisory comes after organizers announced convoys would depart from 19 cities starting at 16:00 toward Prison 10 near Beit Lid, with activists claiming 2,000 registered vehicles and police estimating 600–800 cars (The Zioneer, Tue 21:32 Jerusalem).
The protest thread began Tuesday evening when The Zioneer reported organizers calling for a 'giant procession' from 19 cities (Tue 21:32). Within minutes, details hardened: the Jerusalem Faction planned slow-car convoys at 20–30 km/h (version 3); Gur Hasidic followers were identified as key organizers departing from Beitar Illit, Bnei Brak, and El'ad (version 5). By 21:32 Tuesday, newsrooms including The Jerusalem Post confirmed convoys from 19 cities targeting draft enforcement (version 8), and activist Chaim Cohen forecast 1,000–2,500 vehicles moving at 50 km/h (BACKGROUND, Tue 22:26 Jerusalem). Police earlier this morning warned organizers they would block roads if convoys were disrupted (BACKGROUND, Wed 07:03 Jerusalem).
The backdrop includes weeks of protests that on June 11 saw drivers attack demonstrators on Highway 4 after a two-hour blockade, and Highway 6 shut down by Haredi demonstrators on Tuesday (BACKGROUND, Thu Jun 11, 19:10 Jerusalem; Tue Jun 23, 12:58 Jerusalem). The Knesset's advancement of a bill to draft ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students has fueled the movement, with police previously declaring a protest illegal on June 14 (BACKGROUND, Thu Jun 11, 19:28 Jerusalem; Sun Jun 14, 21:57 Jerusalem).
It remains unverified whether the convoy will meet police roadblocks or escalate into physical confrontations, as has occurred in prior protests. The number of vehicles that actually participate and the precise traffic impact are tracking as the event unfolds.
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