Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators are protesting in Beit Lid in response to the arrest of a draft dodger, according to Israeli media reports. Organizers have mobilized 200 buses from across the country, with thousands more expected to join the protest.
The protest outside Beit Lid military base and Prison 10 escalated tonight, with organizers mobilizing 200 buses from across the country to bring thousands of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators, Israeli media report. The demonstration, which began around 21:11 Jerusalem, has already seen confrontations: police attempted to close the prison gate, prompting some protesters to try to tear down the fence, after which officers left the gate open.
The Zioneer's thread from earlier tonight (all updates at Mon 21:11 Jerusalem) recorded the evolution: initial reports described Gur Hasidic followers dismantling fences outside Prison 10; subsequent updates added that clashes erupted, the parking lot filled to capacity, and police left the gate open after a brief standoff. The reports initially came from journalist Eli Hirschman (N12) and were later corroborated by multiple outlets.
The protest is the latest in a weeks-long wave of ultra-Orthodox demonstrations against military draft enforcement. As The Zioneer reported on Mon Jun 15, Haredi activists blocked Highway 4 in Ashdod and forced police to release a draft deserter. On Wed Jun 17, extremist Haredim protested outside Beit Lid itself. Similar blockades occurred in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, and Gilat Junction, often triggered by mass mobilization alerts.
It remains unclear how many protesters have arrived, whether any arrests have been made, and how police will respond to the growing crowd. The protest is ongoing.
5 developments
- StrongExtremist Haredim protest outside Beit Lid military base against draft-evader arrests
- DevelopingHaredi protests spread to multiple cities after draft dodger arrests
- StrongHundreds of Haredim block police in Ashdod to prevent arrest of draft deserter — who is not Haredi
- StrongHaredim block Jerusalem road in protest over draft dodger arrest report
Source and signal
- Internal intake