Without prior warning: Extremist haredi protesters block Gan Yavne Interchange
Dozens of protesters from the Jerusalem Faction blocked the Gan Yavne Interchange in protest against the arrests of military draft evaders, hours before a planned demonstration on Highway 4.
Haredi ultra-Orthodox protesters from the extremist Jerusalem Faction group halted traffic on Highway 4 in both directions near the Yavne Interchange on Sunday morning, according to the Israel Police. The demonstration began earlier than its publicly announced 4:00 p.m. start time, with an estimated 40 to 50 protesters in attendance.
Police forces from the Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan stations, along with the Dan District, are currently on the scene. Authorities have advised motorists to avoid the area and use alternative routes, urging them to use navigation apps for real-time traffic updates. Police have instructed drivers to follow their guidance. Later, police stated they were working to clear the road of the illegal demonstration.
In recent months, the Israeli security forces have intensified arrests of haredi draft evaders, or ultra-Orthodox men who refuse mandatory IDF service due to religious observance and lack official service exemptions. In response to these arrests, haredi groups have organized numerous protests in Jerusalem and central Israel, making the haredi IDF draft a key topic in the 2026 Knesset election campaigns.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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