Deserter's arrest sparks protests on Highway 443
Police arrested an Ashdod resident driving a stolen vehicle who turned out to be a draft evader. In response, ultra-Orthodox protesters blocked Highway 443 towards Jerusalem.
Ultra-Orthodox protesters arrived today, Friday, at the Ofer prison to protest the arrest of an ultra-Orthodox deserter, briefly blocking traffic on Highway 443 towards Jerusalem. Security forces arrived at the scene to restore order, leading to disturbances. Police used stun grenades to disperse the demonstrators.
Police stated that the incident began after Magav fighters arrested a suspect, a resident of Ashdod in his 20s, who was driving a stolen vehicle. A subsequent check revealed he was a draft evader. Half an hour later, the 'Tzeva Shahor' application, which notifies users about deserter arrests, issued a message stating there was no need to arrive at the scene 'after receiving clarification that the individual would not be handed over to the Military Police.'
The vast majority of the 40 ultra-Orthodox young men currently in military prison were arrested during random encounters with police or while attempting to leave the country. About half were identified at Ben Gurion Airport while attempting to reach Europe, with the goal of continuing to Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah prayers at the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. In another instance, an ultra-Orthodox young man interrogated in a fraud case by Lahav 433 was identified as a deserter following his questioning and was subsequently transferred to the Military Police.
