Israeli Politics07 October, 20262 min read
Ultra-Orthodox Extremists Announce Mass Protests In Jerusalem After Modi’in Draft Evader Riots
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Ultra-Orthodox protesters clash with police in West Jerusalem over draft evasion. The Jerusalem Faction vows mass protests in Jerusalem and central Israel after Modi’in riots.
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Protests After Modi’in Riots
Ultra-Orthodox extremists announced mass protests for Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem and central Israel at around 4 p.m. following riots in Modi’in during a failed attempt to arrest an ultra-Orthodox draft evader. The Committee to Save the Torah World said Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach instructed the public to launch mass protests across the country, adding, “our revered rabbi, Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach, instructed the public to launch mass protests across the country against the desecration of the honor of the Torah”. The announcement came after hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men were summoned to Modi’in overnight Monday into Tuesday after a draft evader activated the “Black Alert” system.
Protesters entered the building where the draft evader had barricaded himself, and they clashed with police who arrived to disperse them and surrounded Military Police soldiers. The protesters declared victory after negotiations with police resulted in an agreement allowing the soldiers to leave on condition that the draft evader was not arrested.
IDF Admits Halt, Limon Rebukes
The IDF acknowledged during a meeting with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that it had refrained from carrying out proactive arrests of draft evaders “in the recent period,” while citing “against the backdrop of concentrating efforts at border crossings and adjustments for the holiday period.” Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon reprimanded the military, saying, “the fact that for a considerable period no proactive operations, including arrests, have been carried out against draft dodgers is inconsistent with security needs”. The IDF expected to resume proactive enforcement operations against military draft evaders and deserters in October, according to a Justice Ministry summary dated Tuesday.
IDF officials told the Attorney General’s Office that arrests had not been conducted because there had been a focus on “concentrating efforts” to arrest draft dodgers discovered trying to leave the country at border crossings during the recent holiday season. Hundreds of haredi protesters surrounded Military Police officers attempting to arrest a draft evader in Modi’in and prevented them from taking him into custody, prompting Israel Police to restore order and escort the soldiers from the building.
Numbers, Indictments, and Next Steps
During a concentrated enforcement operation from September 1 to 22, authorities arrested 212 draft evaders and deserters at Ben-Gurion Airport, the Allenby Bridge and the Begin crossing near Taba, and military officials estimated that 163 of those arrested were haredi. Authorities initiated proceedings against all 212, mostly through military disciplinary proceedings, and 188 people were arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport, with 64 caught only when they returned to Israel. The Population and Immigration Authority said it quickly closed gaps identified in border enforcement, and cases involving suspected illegal crossings were transferred to either Israel Police or the IDF.
Prosecutors filed 360 indictments against draft evaders between January 1 and September 23, and military prosecutors estimated that 49 involved haredi draft evaders. The state must submit its next update to the court by October 15, and Limon requested updated arrest, indictment, disciplinary and enlistment figures by October 12.