Jerusalem Faction Announces Mass Protests Following Modiin Draft Dodger Riots
The Jerusalem Faction announced mass protests following riots in Modiin over an attempted arrest of a draft dodger, amid revelations of a temporary halt in proactive IDF enforcement.
Following riots in Modiin during a failed attempt to arrest an ultra-Orthodox draft dodger, and the resumption of arrest operations, the Jerusalem Faction announced mass protests set for Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem and the Gush Dan region, around 16:00. According to a statement by the Committee for the Salvation of the Torah World, the protests are organized in response to the arrest of yeshiva students and kollel members by military authorities.
The unrest stems from an incident in Modiin where hundreds of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators rushed a building where a draft dodger was holed up. The crowd clashed with police and surrounded military police soldiers. An agreement was eventually reached allowing the soldiers to leave without the suspect, drawing severe criticism over the handling of the operation.
Meanwhile, the IDF admitted in discussions with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that it had refrained from proactive arrests of draft dodgers recently due to a focus on border crossings and holiday preparations. This admission contradicts a previous IDF statement claiming proactive enforcement was ongoing.
Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon rebuked the military, stating that the lack of proactive enforcement undermines security needs and the principle of equality. The IDF responded that it had arrested over 200 draft dodgers at border crossings during September and would continue targeted enforcement operations.
