Ultra-Orthodox extremists blocked the major Highway 6 outside of Jerusalem Tuesday morning following a report that a draft evader had been caught by police.
The blocked highway comes as the Agudath Israel party is preparing for a car convoy to Military Prison 10 on Wednesday in protest of the arrest of draft evaders, a demonstration that could disrupt traffic across the country. A registration center for drivers opened Monday, with participants set to leave in their vehicles from designated gathering points in 20 cities nationwide. According to the organizers, nearly 1,000 drivers have already signed up, and the protest’s initiators are calling on more to join.
Haredi protester attacks female detective during protests last week that blocked Highway 4
(Video: Israel Police)
So far, 19 cities have been designated as departure points for the protest convoy: Jerusalem, Elad, Ashdod, Tiberias, Beitar Illit, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Givat Ze’ev, Haifa, Hatzor HaGlilit, Modi’in Illit, Nof HaGalil, Netanya, Arad, Safed, Kiryat Gat and Rehovot.
According to the organizers, the event is coordinated with police. Hundreds of drivers will drive slowly in order to significantly slow traffic, then, upon reaching Kfar Yona, circle the area of the military base where Prison 10 is located while honking their horns before returning to their points of origin.
The new campaign promoting the protest includes three main ads designed in the spirit of the official logo and the forceful slogan: “Enough! There is no path without the path of Torah.” The ads carry messages of unity and solidarity with Torah students: “We are all with the prisoners of the Torah world” and “The vehicle convoy in support of Torah students.” Another ad expresses “the pain spreading through every God-fearing Jew who wants to remain Jewish even in the Land of Israel.”
Haredim protest outside of PRison 10, where ultra-Orthodox draft evaders are held
(Photo: ZAKA Herring Group)
The organizing committee said that “the ads revealed today are the voice of the broad public, of the masses of the House of Israel, who can no longer remain silent. These messages will carry words of encouragement directly beyond the walls of Prison 10 and make clear to the heroic prisoners of the Torah world that the entire Haredi public shares the burden of the campaign with them.”
Ben-Gvir attacks police conduct: 'Commanders will be required to answer'
Amid allegations of police violence during the dispersal of ultra-Orthodox rioters near Bnei Brak last week, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sent a letter Tuesday morning to Police Commissioner Danny Levy, saying that “the footage that appears to show police officers throwing stun grenades in violation of procedures, using exceptional force against protesters and humiliating civilians requires a thorough investigation and full accountability for anyone who violated procedures.”
Police violence against Haredi protesters
(Video: Yosef Cohen, use under Section 27A of the Copyright Law)
Ben-Gvir, who has previously expressed clear support for the use of stun grenades to disperse demonstrations, claimed that “there will be no tolerance for excessive violence or conduct that is inconsistent with the values of the police and the law.” He said he is considering “permanently removing from the Israel Police officers and commanders involved in the incident, including the commander of the Bnei Brak-Ramat Gan station, insofar as the inquiry finds that serious violations of procedures did in fact occur.”
Ben-Gvir will hold an “urgent discussion on the matter with all relevant officials” this week and said: “My duty is to back police officers who act for public security, but also to act firmly when officers cross the line and harm civilians. No one is above the law, and commanders will also be required to answer for their actions.”