Full Breakdown
Haredi Protest Blocks Highway 4 Over Draft-Dodger Detention
8/13/2026, 4:29:31 AM
Highway 4 Blockade Over Draft-Dodger Detention
On August 12, 2026, demonstrators from the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community set up a roadblock on Highway 4 near Bnei Brak. The protest was sparked by the detention of a man identified by police as a draft dodger. Israel Police declared the demonstration illegal and attempted to disperse the crowd. Footage released by N12 later showed the protesters leaving the highway and moving into Bnei Brak.
Context of the Detention
The suspect was first summoned by the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit for questioning on serious criminal offenses. When investigators learned the individual was wanted by the military police for evading conscription, the case was transferred to the military police, a step described by police as “customary and required.” Police officials dispute claims that the man approached authorities merely to “assist” in a fraud investigation.
Key Figures
- Moshe Abutbul – Shas Knesset member who accused the police of breaching a “red line” in their handling of the Haredi public.
- Danny Levi – Israel Police Commissioner, referenced in Abutbul’s complaint to the police.
- Avigdor Liberman – Chairman of Yisrael Beytenu, who posted on X/Twitter that the demonstrators will become “great soldiers” if they can block roads in the heat, adding that after October 27 they will be “busy putting on uniforms.”
Official Statements & Responses
The police also rejected Abutbul’s description of the incident, emphasizing that the individual was not merely a “yeshiva guy” offering testimony.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is a crossing of a red line and a serious violation of the commissioner's commitment to the Haredi public,” — Moshe Abutbul
