Haredi protesters, IDF soldiers clash outside of Military Prison 10 amid draft dodging controversy

Lead

Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters and IDF soldiers clashed outside Military Prison 10 in Beit Lid, central Israel, on Wednesday evening, as demonstrations against the military's conscription policy for ultra-Orthodox men escalated. According to the military, the protesters were acting violently and entered a restricted military area before being forcibly removed. The incident was over soon thereafter, per the IDF.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported on a series of related protests over several days. On July 7, Haredi protesters blocked the entrance to the IDF's Central Command headquarters in Jerusalem, with videos shared online showing them blocking part of the gate, screaming at soldiers, and not letting them through. Police officers were present attempting to disperse the protest, with soldiers from the base trying to remove them.

An earlier protest on Monday, July 6, saw Haredi men attempt to enter the Jerusalem light rail, block traffic on Bar Ilan Street, and be dispersed by police. On Sunday, Israel Police announced the arrest of another person after damaging a construction site and engaging in physical disputes with construction workers.

On July 15, Haredi demonstrators gathered around IDF recruitment centers in central Israel to protest the drafting of Haredi soldiers. Video footage showed protesters blocking the road outside the Tel Hashomer recruitment center, and others holding signs asking US President Donald Trump to "save" the Haredis from being recruited. Israel Police announced that officers were working to regain control over the area outside the IDF recruitment center in Jerusalem, where a "disturbance" had taken place.

The most recent protest, on July 20, saw hundreds of Haredi demonstrators outside Military Prison 10 in Beit Lid over the arrest of a draft dodger. According to N12 News, as cited by the Jerusalem Post, the protesters belong to the Gur Hassidic sect, as did the arrested man, and the Gur Rebbe was in attendance. The report also cited the Gur community as saying that 200 buses from across the country were expected to arrive with thousands of additional demonstrators.

Key Claims

• Haredi protesters blocked the entrance to the IDF's Central Command headquarters in Jerusalem on July 7, protesting mandatory conscription for ultra-Orthodox men.
• Police officers and soldiers attempted to disperse the protest, with the Haredim sitting in the entrance blocking the way.
• On July 15, Haredi demonstrators blocked the road outside the Tel Hashomer recruitment center and held signs asking US President Donald Trump to "save" the Haredis from being recruited.
• On July 20, hundreds of Haredi demonstrators protested outside Military Prison 10 in Beit Lid over the arrest of a draft dodger, with the Gur Rebbe in attendance.
• Footage published by N12 showed several rioters attempting to tear down a fence outside the prison, despite calls from the Gur community to avoid violence.
• The arrested man had arrived at a draft office to arrange an exemption from service before being sentenced to 20 days in prison.
• IDF soldiers and Haredi protesters clashed outside Military Prison 10 on July 8, with protesters entering a restricted military area before being forcibly removed.