Dozens of Chabad Hasidim who returned from a year of study at the Chabad World Headquarters in the United States landed at Ben Gurion Airport and were found to be deserters. Some had their passports taken and were told there was suspicion they were draft evaders who failed to report. They initially thought they would be released because the military police did not have the capacity to detain such a large number of deserters, but ultimately they were told they would be detained for disciplinary action. The landing of the Hasidim was known to the IDF in advance, so soldiers waited for them at Ben Gurion Airport with reinforced forces.