‘Free the hostages’: Hundreds of Haredim protest outside prison holding draft evaders

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews clashed with police outside the Beit Lid military prison on Thursday evening, following a protest against the detention of yeshiva students being held at the site for draft evasion.

The demonstrators from the hardline Jerusalem Faction, Slonim Hasidic sect and other ultra-Orthodox groups rushed police barricades in front of the prison before being pushed back by officers. After attempting to push their way through the police line, protesters burned and ripped up conscription orders before breaking out in a circle dance while chanting slogans against military service.

“We won’t give up on even one Haredi [to military service],” protesters yelled outside the prison.

Nine ultra-Orthodox draft evaders have been detained since last week as part of the military’s effort to strengthen enforcement  against draft dodgers. Two of the nine have since been let go, leaving seven still in the custody of the Military Police.

Thursday evening’s protest, which capped off a week of anti-enlistment demonstrations, was called by Rabbi Dov Lando.

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Source: The Times of Israel

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Historical Context: Pre-1948 Jerusalem

Many protesters traced their roots back to Jerusalem’s Jewish community long before the founding of Israel in 1948.

Rabbi Yitzchok Moshe Erlanger, whose family has lived in Jerusalem since the 1800s, explained:

“My great-grandfather came here to serve God, to study Torah, to pray at the holy sites. He lived in peace with his Arab neighbors. They shared meals, did business together, helped each other. The problems started when people decided to create a political state against Torah law.”

The Religious Objection

Protesters emphasized that their objection to military service is rooted in Jewish law, not politics:

1. Violation of the Three Oaths – The Talmud prohibits Jews from taking control of the land by force.
2. Spiritual Corruption – The army environment is seen as incompatible with Torah values.
3. Hastening Redemption – Forcing redemption through military power contradicts divine will.

Many young Orthodox Jews echoed these sentiments. Yosef, a 19-year-old yeshiva student, said:

“My ancestors survived the Romans, the Crusades, the Inquisition, pogroms — all by holding onto Torah. Now they want me to abandon Torah for an army? To fight in wars that our rabbis say violate Jewish law? I’d rather go to prison.”

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