Haredi protesters block Israeli roads, wear yellow stars against draft arrest

Haredi protesters brought central Israel to a standstill Wednesday, blocking major roads in a demonstration against the arrest of a draft-evading yeshiva student. The protest, organized by the extremist Jerusalem Faction, saw hundreds of adherents called upon to "make the earth shake."

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make the earth shake

The detained man was arrested Tuesday after leaving a police station, where he was questioned on an unrelated matter. A military police vehicle was waiting, and he was transferred to a military prison. In response, police blocked roads in the Haredi city of Bnei Brak, including sections of Jabotinsky Road and Route 4.

During the protest, demonstrators sat and stood in the middle of Route 4, some wearing yellow stars emblazoned with "Haredi." They held signs comparing their plight to Holocaust victims, with one reading, "It was better to die as a Jew in the Holocaust than to spiritually die in IDF camps." Chants of "we will die rather than enlist" echoed, alongside frustrated drivers' car horns.

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It was better to die as a Jew in the Holocaust than to spiritually die in IDF camps.

Many protesters were young children, identifiable by their school uniforms. This demonstration underscores the fierce national debate over military exemptions for Haredi men, which were struck down by courts in 2024. While tens of thousands of Haredi men aged 18-24 are eligible for service, they have ignored conscription orders, contributing to army manpower shortages and public anger over perceived inequalities in national defense responsibilities.

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we will die rather than enlist