Thousands of Hasidic Jews besiege military prison in Israel over draft evader

Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest the detention of draft evaders. Photo: AFP

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators gathered outside the Beit Lid military prison in Israel, surrounding the facility to protest the arrest of a draft evader. This was reported by The Times of Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dispatched military police units to the site and placed additional troops on alert amid concerns that protesters might storm the base. A religious man who refused military service is currently being held in Neve Tzedek prison, located within the military complex.

Most of the demonstrators belong to the Gur Hasidic dynasty, the largest Hasidic community in Israel. The protest was called by the community’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter. Also present at the site was Yitzhak Goldknopf, leader of the United Torah Judaism party, who recited Psalms with the crowd gathered at the entrance to the facility.

Residents of the neighboring town of Kfar Yona complain that the recurring anti-draft demonstrations have made life “impossible.” Representatives of the local committee say residents live in constant fear of mass unrest near the prison. According to them, preparations for new protests by anti-conscription Hasidic groups are taking place almost continuously.

As the UOJ reported, ultra-Orthodox protesters in Israel previously stormed the home of the head of the military police.

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