Endless Civil Conflict
The One Thing Police Didn't Expect That Foiled Their Haredi Arrest Sweep
Military Police raids targeting Haredi draft dodgers lead to arrests and protests, while MK Porush warns of potential civil war over conscription enforcement policies.
The Israeli Military Police (MP) conducted a series of raids last night targeting Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft dodgers, leading to the arrest of two individuals, while efforts in other cities were foiled by protestors. The operation has ignited a fresh political crisis, with a prominent Haredi lawmaker issuing a stark warning against the government's legal strategy.
MP Operation Details
The Military Police carried out arrest sweeps in Ramla, Beersheba, and Mevaseret Zion.In Ramla, the MP successfully apprehended two brothers who were declared deserters. In the meanwhile, in Beersheba and Mevaseret Zion, MP teams were unable to complete the arrests of targeted individuals due to the arrival of protestors at the scenes during the night.
Political Fallout: MK Porush's 'Civil War' Warning
Following the arrests, MK Meir Porush of Agudat Yisrael launched a fierce attack on the Attorney General (AG), warning that her position on conscription could lead to "civil war."
"Once again last night, the Attorney General sent the Military Police to arrest young men whose only 'sin' is that their Torah is their profession," Porush stated.
He accused the AG of disregarding the consequences of her actions:
"Despite months of this draconian rampage against the world of Torah failing to advance the goals she set, she refuses to acknowledge the failure and is attempting to drag the Jewish people into a civil war."
Porush also referenced a letter he had circulated yesterday, which was signed by Knesset members from various parties opposing the detention of two specific yeshiva students (a groom and an orphan).
"The letter... against the arrests of the yeshiva students, the groom and the orphan, demonstrates that the majority of the nation does not support this belligerent approach against the world of Torah. The time has come to stop, before it is too late," he added.
Rabbinic Response
The arrests and the heated demonstrations near Prison 10 (where MP detainees are held) have also prompted a religious escalation.
The Haredi newspaper Yated Ne'eman published that Rabbi Landau, who is currently abroad, instructed his deputy to organize a mass prayer rally. The Degel HaTorah faction stated that this constitutes a "major escalation that will not be accepted as business as usual."