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Israeli police dispersed dozens of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters who blocked Gilat Junction near Ofakim on Monday, in response to the arrest of a draft dodger by Ofakim police, according to Israel Police. The protest, which blocked Highway 25 and Route 241, was declared illegal by officers, who called on demonstrators to clear the road. Police said that instead, protesters lay down on the road and next to vehicle wheels.

"Traffic at the junction has reopened and is operating as normal," the police said in a statement.

The incident comes as tensions over the enlistment of haredi yeshiva students continue to escalate, with protests moving from the Knesset and the High Court of Justice into the streets, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported on two separate events on the same day. The first report described the Gilat Junction protest, which began after the arrest of a draft dodger. Police were able to disperse the crowd without further incident.

A second report detailed the filing of an indictment against 17 haredi men, including four minors, in connection with a separate protest that took place on April 28 outside the home of Brig.-Gen. Yuval Yamin, the IDF's chief military police officer, in Ashkelon.

Key Claims

  • Dozens of haredi protesters blocked Gilat Junction near Ofakim, leading to the closure of Highway 25 and Route 241, according to Israel Police.
  • The protest was in response to the arrest of a draft dodger by Ofakim police, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Police officers dispersed the protest; the junction reopened and traffic returned to normal, per police statements.
  • The indictment, filed to the Ashkelon Magistrate's Court, charges 17 haredi men with rioting, trespassing to commit an offense, and malicious damage, according to the Jerusalem Post.
  • The indictment alleges that protesters broke through the locked gate of Yamin's home while his wife and two children, one of whom is a minor, were inside.
  • The protest caused thousands of shekels in damages, and Yamin's family said they feared physical harm, according to the indictment.
  • The state filed a request to set conditions for the defendants' release.
During the Ashkelon protest, demonstrators carried signs reading "War on the draft law, in actions and not words," and shouted slogans including "We will die and not enlist" and "Yuval Yamin is a traitor," as detailed in the indictment.

The protest occurred against the backdrop of Israel's ongoing haredi draft crisis, which has intensified since the High Court ruled that the state no longer has legal authority to grant sweeping exemptions to haredi yeshiva students, as soldiers and reservists continue to serve amid the ongoing war, reported the Jerusalem Post.