Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Block Highway 4 and Railways Over Deserter Arrest
Ultra-Orthodox protesters blocked Highway 4 and railway tracks in Petah Tikva to protest the arrest of military deserter Alon Samadja, who was detained in a military police sting.
Israeli police blocked northbound traffic on Highway 4 at the Aluf Sadeh Interchange as ultra-Orthodox demonstrators gathered to protest the arrest of a military deserter. Dozens of radical protesters subsequently blocked the Geha Interchange beneath Highway 4, demanding the immediate release of Alon Samadja, a resident of the Bayit VeGan neighborhood in Jerusalem currently serving time at Military Prison 10 for failing to report for IDF induction.
The demonstrations quickly spilled over to other transportation hubs, with protesters briefly blocking railway tracks in the Petah Tikva area. According to details emerging from the arrest, Samadja was detained during a sting operation conducted by the Military Police. Officers reportedly contacted his family under the pretext of delivering a package; when Samadja came downstairs to retrieve it, military police identified themselves and took him into custody.
Intelligence and security observers note that the demonstrators belong to the "Rosafnikim" faction, followers of Rabbi Tzvi Friedman from the extremist Jerusalem Faction. This faction is widely regarded as the most militant wing within the movement. Last week, ahead of the elections, Rabbi Friedman issued a strict ruling forbidding his followers from participating in the Knesset vote, instructing them to avoid any entanglement with state institutions.
