Border Guard soldier attacked by hundreds in Modiin Illit

A Border Guard fighter from the chareidi unit was attacked overnight Sunday by hundreds of suspects in Modiin Illit, police said this morning. The fighter was in the city during his off-duty hours visiting family and was not on assignment.

According to the police statement, the fighter and his brother were attacked upon arrival in the Chaftziba neighborhood. During the incident, the fighter attempted to arrest one of the suspects who had assaulted him, but the attack continued.

The fighter filed a complaint with police, and an investigation has been opened to clarify the circumstances of the case.

An eyewitness who was present from the start of the incident told Kikar Hashabbat that an avreich passing by spat at the Border Guard fighter, which led to a confrontation between them. The fighter called police and waited for their arrival, but according to the eyewitness, they did not arrive for an extended period.

Meanwhile, a bar mitzvah celebration was taking place at a nearby event hall, and following the confrontation, large numbers of people gathered in the area, including dozens of chareidim, and a disturbance broke out. According to the eyewitness, the incident calmed down after the fighter left the scene, and only then did police arrive.

During the disturbance, the fighter was filmed using force against one of those involved. According to the eyewitness reports, the disturbance lasted about half an hour and began to calm only when the fighter moved away from the scene and police arrived.

The disturbance, last night (Photo: Tzik Tzak)

The Modiin Illit incident joins a series of confrontations between security forces and the chareidi public in recent weeks. About five years ago, a Kikar Hashabbat reporter was attacked by protesters from extremist circles in the Chaftziba neighborhood of Beit Shemesh, when they shouted at him and threatened him during police enforcement of lockdown regulations.

The investigation is ongoing.