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Police Seek Reserves to Contain Potential Haredi Draft Protests

Amid the IDF’s stepped-up efforts to enforce the draft among ultra-Orthodox Israelis, Israel Police have formally requested the mobilization of several reserve companies to help address potential scenarios of civil unrest within the Haredi sector. The request comes as tensions rise over planned arrests of draft evaders at checkpoints near Haredi cities and during police traffic stops. Authorities are bracing for possible mass protests or confrontations, particularly in neighborhoods with a history of resistance to state efforts to draft yeshiva students. Officials stress the goal is to maintain public order and prevent escalation, even as political leaders from the Haredi parties warn that any arrests could trigger a government crisis.