The wave of arrests: After the arrest of the young Haredi man from Betar Illit who set fire to a house in Beit Shemesh last night, he was arrested at Shaar Hagai Gate at noon (Monday) and handed over to the military police.
The man, a graduate of Yeshiva Netivot HaTorah who lives in Har Shmuel, works as a truck driver for a living. He was arrested in front of his wife for a traffic violation. When the police discovered that he was a deserter, he was handed over to the military police and taken to Anatot prison.
The CEO of the Netzach Yehuda Association and Lt. Col. (reserve) Yossi Levy, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, stating: "The wave of arrests directly harms the recruitment of Haredim into the IDF.".
Levy wrote: "I am addressing you out of deep concern in light of the serious escalation in relation to the world of Torah and yeshiva youth in recent times. As someone who has worked for many years to integrate young Haredi men into meaningful service in the IDF, I know from experience that the way to connect the parts of the people and expand the circle of those who serve does not go through threats, sanctions, arrests and confrontational discourse. These steps do not bring a solution closer - they push it further away.".
'The Jerusalem faction announced today that "due to the continued criminal arrest of the immigrants, who were thrown into prison along with about 50 yeshiva students and avrechim for the crime of studying Torah, and in light of the persecution of Torah workers in the Land of Israel - today at 5:00 PM, the masses of Beit Yisrael, at the behest of the Marnan and Rabbinan, will embark on a series of stormy demonstrations across the country, in sharp protest against the severe harm to the world of Torah and in favor of the right of yeshiva students and avrechim kollel to continue to study their Talmud without fear.".
