Jerusalem – In Photos: Hundreds Of Haredim Demonstrate Across Israel Against Imprisonment Of Ultra-Orthodox Soldier Who Deserted IDF

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    Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protest against the jailing of a Jewish seminary student who failed to comply with a recruitment order, in Jerusalem on February 9, 2017. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90Jerusalem – For a third night in a row, hundreds of extremist haredi men took to major roads, thoroughfares and highways around the country Thursday afternoon to block traffic in protest at the arrest of yeshiva student by the military police for failing to report for military service to IDF enlistment offices.

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    Protests took place beginning at 15:30 in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, the Shilat Junction close to Modiin, Elad, Kanut Junction close to Gadera, Beit Shemesh, and other locales, during which some 31 protesters were arrested by police for disturbing the public order.

    Police used a water cannon and mounted police to disperse the protesters, but shortly after each attempt by the police to clear the junction, the protesters would return once again and continue to block the traffic.

    Police would intermittently approach the crowds of protesters and drag one of the men away, to shouts from the protesters against the police personnel of “Nazis” to men and “shiksas,” meaning non-Jews, to women.

    At other times, they would dance in the middle of the streets, even when being blasted by the water cannons, and sing songs about their devotion to God and the Torah.

    According to the police some 200 protesters arrived at Shilat junction by bus where they also attempted to stop the traffic, while Route 1 was temporarily blocked due to the protests as well.

    The protesters were directed by organizers to the various different protest sites by an automated telephone line and messaging services, instructions which were updated during the course of the protests.

    The protests are being conducted and organized by a group known as the Jerusalem Faction, a breakaway from the main haredi political grouping, which has taken a more radical stance on the issue of enlistment to the IDF.

    According to researchers at the Israel Democracy Institute, the Jerusalem Faction constitutes approximately 10 percent of the Ashkenazi haredi community, and 6.5% of the overall haredi community including the Sephardi haredi community.

    The Jerusalem Faction instructs yeshiva students associated with it to not even report for preliminary processing at IDF enlistment offices when instructed to do so, and on occasion are arrested by the military police for technically being a deserter.

    Yeshiva students associated with the mainstream haredi community do present themselves to the IDF recruiting office for preliminary processing, after which they are given an exemption unless they volunteer to serve in the army.

    Many of the protesters at the Jerusalem demonstration would repeat similar messages when asked about the reasons as to why they do not even report as do the majority of the haredi yeshiva students.

    One protestor, who declined to give his name as all such protesters always do, said that once a yeshiva student reports to the IDF enlistment office he is already in the system and risks being drafted against his will. He also said that efforts are made at enlistment offices to convince yeshiva students to sign up and that for these reasons it is best not to even present oneself.

    He added that the current law for haredi enlistment to the IDF includes quotas for how many haredi men must enlist, and that should the quotas not be met all haredi men of military age would be drafted.

    Presenting oneself at the enlistment office makes it easier for the IDF to recruit you, the protestor said.

    “The army, according to Ben Gurion was meant to be the Israel’s melting pot, the purpose was to make everyone Israeli, to lose their own identity,” he said. “We have our own specific identity, and we only want to be haredi, and not anything else.”

    These claims and observations were made by several protesters interviewed by The Jerusalem Post.

    While it is true that such quotas exist, they are a relic from the 2014 conscription law that was gutted by the current government, and will not be enforced.

    As part of its coalition agreement with the Likud party, United Torah Judaism demanded that the 2014 law be reformed so as to annul the clauses requiring compulsory haredi enlistment.

    The solution that was found was to allow the Defense Minister to exempt any haredi yeshiva student from military service if the quotas are not met.

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    10 Comments
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    lazy-boy
    Active Member
    lazy-boy
    7 years ago

    so is this supposed to be Torah? darchaha darche na’em, all its ways are ways of pleasantness?

    Disgusting to see idiot yeshiva men make a chillul HaShem!

    All a yeshiva man needs is to present a letter from a yeshiva and he gets exemption from army. No need to make a chillul haShem.

    7 years ago

    I am profoundly Anti-Zionist. But, these protest cast a negative light or rather incorrect echo on the authentic stance of Anti-Zionism.

    Those that do not partake in the government have a logical reason to oppose the draft.

    Ii understand the significance of limud Hatorah but their answer doesn’t fit the question.

    I wonder if these protesters are aware why they doing these protest.

    Israel has no right to draft our young men. But these young men should understand why they cannot be drafted. Protesting in such a manner does not befit a Ben Melech.

    7 years ago

    This is what entitlement feels like.

    savtat
    savtat
    7 years ago

    Breaks my heart all around

    7 years ago

    Why exactly do these Jews not have to serve in the army?I always thought that if you live in a country you need to be protected. So who is doing the protection? if not every able bodied person, then who. Enough of the excuses. How many of these talmidem are really learning all day? And even they do learn, the Rambam, I am sure you have heard of him, says you have to serve. stop making excuses.

    ercsd
    ercsd
    7 years ago

    “Those that do not partake in the government have a logical reason to oppose the draft”. What rationalizing. I guess they don’t want to defend Israel’s right to exist. Out of curiousity what do the men in Mea Shearim contribute to the State of Israel?

    7 years ago

    During my many decades reading or viewing the news, North American media would always refer to “draft dodgers” as “draft dodgers” and reserve the word “desertion” for soldiers who “deserted”. So why does the headline use “Deserted”? These guys were never soldiers.

    7 years ago

    There must be laws that say that people who organize protests that aren’t legal have to be prosecuted. Most of the ‘yeshiva’ boys probably couldn’t pass the physical and mental tests for army life anyhow.The organizers should face long time in jail.

    jack-l
    jack-l
    7 years ago

    kochlefel