Haredim from the “Jerusalem Faction” demonstrated today (Monday) and blocked Highway 4 near Bnei Brak – following the uproar over the draft exemption. In the documents that came from the scene, the ultra-Orthodox, including young people, were seen waving signs that read, among other things, “Stalin is here!”, “We will die and not enlist” and “Closing the yeshivas – cutting off a kidney for Judaism.” In another recording, they were heard calling “to jail and not to the army.” After regarding four hours, the police dispersed the protest and opened the road to traffic.
The police announced that they arrested five protesters on suspicion of attacking police officers and violating public order during the protest. According to the police, “hundreds of protesters blocked the road, confronted the police, laid down under the police, threw objects and attacked the horses and horsemen accompanied by shouts of ‘Nazis’, ‘murderers’ at the police.”
Ultra-Orthodox block a road near Bnei Brak, today Photo: David Keshet, Yedioth Bnei Brak “Stalin is here!”: the demonstrators wave signs on the road | Photo: David Keshet, Yedioth Bnei Brak
The draft exemption storm rose this morning. As of today, the High Court’s decision to freeze budgets for yeshiva went into effect – and according to the position of attorney Gali Behav-Miara, all the relevant authorities should start working to recruit yeshiva students. It should be emphasized that funding will continue for students who are not “within the scope of the order” – until the end of the current academic year in Av.
Last night, Beharve-Miara clarified that she forbids the Ministry of Education to “compensate” the ultra-Orthodox for freezing the budgets for yeshiva. In the letter sent by the deputy to the ombudsman, Gil Limon, he stated that any sophistication or increase in other budgets would constitute a violation of the interim order.
Netanyahu is planning: the establishment of a ministerial committee with the MLA – to formulate a conscription law that will bypass the High Court decision. archive | Photo: Public Relations, News 2
“The Ministry of Education will refrain from any step it has, which it may take, because of the circumvention of the provisions of the interim order, whether through increasing the budget and the ‘point value’ of the current support tests, whether through other funding channels, or through any other means,” wrote Lemon. At the beginning of the letter, he made it clear that starting tomorrow there is no source of authority for giving yeshiva students a blanket exemption from conscription for military service, and the security system must act to conscription according to law.
In addition, as we published yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to establish a ministerial committee with the MLA – to formulate a conscription law that will bypass the High Court decision. It is not yet clear if Ministers Yoav Galant and Benny Gantz will participate in the committee, and if the head of the National Assembly Tzachi Hanegbi will be included in it or his representative.
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