Shas MK Launches Explosive Attack on Police Chief Over Yeshiva Student Arrests
A political firestorm erupted after Shas MK Michael Malkieli accused Police Commissioner Danny Levi of persecuting yeshiva students for political reasons following controversial arrests and transfers of Haredi draft dodgers to military police custody.
Police Chief Danny Levi is facing sharp political criticism from MK Michael Malkieli after the arrest of yeshiva students and their transfer to military authorities, in a case that has sparked renewed tensions over enforcement against Haredi draft evasion.
Malkieli, of the Shas party, accused the police chief of targeting Torah learners instead of focusing on rising crime, describing the recent enforcement actions as politically motivated.
“The police chief Danny Levi - a hero against the weak,” Malkieli said in a statement, adding that he believes the timing of the enforcement is linked to political considerations ahead of elections.
He further claimed that resources should be directed toward combating violent crime rather than arresting yeshiva students, and warned the police chief directly over his conduct in office.
The comments come in response to recent arrests of yeshiva students during police operations, including a reported nighttime checkpoint in which a student from a religious institution in central Israel was detained and later transferred to military police.
According to accounts from the scene, police conducted a surprise checkpoint operation in which plainclothes officers and military personnel detained a yeshiva student and transferred him to military custody.
The incident has fueled wider criticism from Haredi political and media figures, who have described the enforcement efforts as disproportionately targeting religious students.
The Israel Police has not publicly responded to the political accusations.