02.05.2026 07:56
Haredi protesters who gathered to protest the detention of ultra-Orthodox Jewish Haredi students who are army deserters in the city of Ashkelon, Israel, stormed the garden of the military police chief's home.
According to Israeli Army Radio, protesters gathered in Ashkelon to protest the detention of Haredi students, jumped over the walls of the home of Military Police Commander Brigadier General Yuval Yamin and entered his garden.
COMMANDER'S FAMILY STRANDED
According to Israeli police, about 200 Haredi protesters gathered in front of Brigadier General Yamin's home. A military source, whose name was not disclosed, reported that some protesters jumped over the wall of the house and entered the garden.
According to the source, Yamin was not at home during the incident, while his wife and children were stranded inside the house. Israel Hayom newspaper described the Haredi entry into the military police commander's garden as a 'dangerous escalation.'
THEY BLOCKED THE HIGHWAY
Meanwhile, a clash broke out between hundreds of Haredi protesters and police at the Golda Meir junction in West Jerusalem, where they tried to block the road. Yediot Ahronot also reported that some Haredi protesters blocked Highway 4 at the entrance to the city of Bnei Brak in central Israel.
Anti-conscription protesters chanted the slogan 'We will die but we will not go to the army,' while a group of Haredi protesters burned the Israeli flag.
Israeli police declared the protests 'illegal' and stated that two people were detained.
HAREDIM REFUSE TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY
It was reported that the protests took place after the Israeli army resumed detention operations this week targeting those evading conscription.
It was recalled that Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated in March that the army is struggling due to a serious shortage of soldiers and that the failure to conscript Haredim negatively impacts capacity. In Israel, with a population of approximately 10 million, Haredim make up about 13% of the population. Haredim refuse to serve in the military on the grounds of religious education.