Lead

Israeli security forces arrested more than 60 ultra-Orthodox protesters following a violent riot outside the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg on June 3, according to the Jerusalem Post. The incident has drawn condemnation from senior officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and has prompted an investigation by the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service.

The riot occurred in the settlement of Alon Shvut, where protesters gathered in opposition to Sohlberg's order to increase arrests of draft evaders. Witnesses and officials described scenes of vandalism and attempts to break into the justice's home, with his family inside at the time.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from the Jerusalem Post consistently describe the event as a serious escalation in the ongoing haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protests against military conscription. While initial coverage on June 3 focused on the property damage and the immediate police response, subsequent articles detailed the legal and political repercussions, including the Shin Bet investigation and statements from senior officials.

The Jerusalem Post's editorial on June 5 framed the incident as part of a broader trend of "selective obedience" in Israeli society, while opinion pieces by Elad Caplan and Tomer Moskowitz provided contrasting perspectives on the motivations and implications of the protest. Caplan, writing on June 9, situated the riot within an internal struggle within Religious Zionism, noting that some hardline elements were reluctant to condemn the attack because of their opposition to the Supreme Court. Moskowitz, a friend of Sohlberg, described the event as a "pogrom," emphasizing the danger to the justice's family.

Police Superintendent Chaim Taieb, in an interview with 103FM, stressed that the investigation was treating the riot as "a serious criminal event with real intent to harm," not a routine protest.

Key Claims

  • Over 60 suspects were detained following the riot, according to Senior Israel Police Superintendent Chaim Taieb, who said the police viewed the incident as "a first-rate criminal event."
  • Rioters smashed windows, caused damage to Sohlberg's home and vehicle, and attempted to break into the house, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Sohlberg's wife, children, and grandchildren were inside the home during the riot, according to a letter from Supreme Court President Isaac Amit and Courts Director Tzachi Uziel.
  • The Shin Bet launched an investigation into haredi anti-conscription protests, prompted in part by the riot outside Sohlberg's home.
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident and called for law enforcement to apply the full force of the law against the rioters.
  • Justice Minister Yariv Levin also condemned the attack.
  • In a separate incident on June 5, a man was attacked by haredi protesters while passing a demonstration outside a Jerusalem police station, suffering a head wound, as reported by Ynet.

Perspectives

Israeli Government and Judiciary

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Yariv Levin condemned the riot, with Netanyahu demanding full enforcement of the law. Supreme Court President Isaac Amit described the incident as "an attack on the entire judicial system and the rule of law in Israel," pledging that the judiciary would take all measures to ensure the safety of its employees.

Police and Investigation

Police Superintendent Chaim Taieb emphasized that the riot was not a legitimate protest but a "serious criminal event" with "real intent to harm," and that over 60 arrests were not routine. The Shin Bet's investigation signals concern that future demonstrations could target government buildings or officials.

Haredi Political Factions

Shas and Degel HaTorah, in a statement issued shortly after midnight, condemned the violence but expressed that they were "pained and shocked by the ongoing persecution and trampling of Torah students by Supreme Court justices," warning that such steps could lead to radicalization and anarchy.

Religious Zionist commentators

Opinion writer Elad Caplan argued that the riot should be understood within the context of a struggle within Religious Zionism, noting that some Hardal rabbis had declared that Jews are forbidden to obey Supreme Court rulings they deem contrary to Halacha. He stressed that Justice Sohlberg himself is a Religious Zionist, complicating the narrative of a simple religion-versus-courts conflict.