Haredi Demonstrators to Block Highway 4 Over Draft Evader’s Arrest

Dozens of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters from the Jerusalem Faction (Peleg Yerushalmi) plan to block Highway 4 near Bnei Brak on Monday afternoon to protest the arrest of a haredi draft dodger, according to Israeli media.

The demonstration is expected to begin at 5:00 p.m.

Protests by the haredi community against the military draft and the arrest of draft evaders have sparked widespread demonstrations throughout the year, causing disruptions to public transportation and major highways.

This week, Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara advocated for renewed arrests and enhanced economic sanctions against military draft evaders. She emphasized that inadequate enforcement among ultra-Orthodox men undermines the draft process, resulting in unmet recruitment quotas and unequal treatment compared to other population groups.

These concerns were detailed in a summary of an August 3 meeting led by Baharav-Miara that evaluated the enforcement of draft obligations for the 2025 draft year.

Military officials noted that the discrepancy is closely linked to arrest rates.

Legal proceedings typically commence when enforcement agencies detain a draft evader or when the evader voluntarily reports to a military installation. A lower number of arrests leads to fewer prosecutions.

Baharav-Miara concluded that current criminal enforcement efforts do not adequately meet state requirements. Per the summary, military officials cautioned that this shortfall weakens draft enforcement effectiveness, leaving potential recruits unrecruited and creating disparities in enforcement across different societal sectors.

Nevertheless, the review acknowledged a significant rise in haredi enlistment over the past year.

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