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Police Approve Mass Jerusalem Prayer Rally Over Haredi Draft Enforcement

Organizers frame the gathering as a prayer-only response to yeshiva student arrests following tighter draft enforcement.

Overview

  • Jerusalem District Police issued final authorization for Thursday’s event at 2:30 p.m. near the Chords Bridge, with large deployments planned to secure the crowd and maintain order.
  • From noon, Route 1 between Latrun and Ginnot Sacharov will be closed to private cars with access limited to pre‑coordinated buses via Givat Shaul, and key city arteries including Jaffa, Yirmiyahu, Sarei Yisrael, Shazar and Malchei Yisrael will be shut as the rally progresses.
  • Shas, Agudas Yisroel and Degel HaTorah jointly organized a tefillah‑only format featuring selichos and Tehillim, no stage or amplification, rabbinic leaders stationed across the area, and a central balcony for prayers before the event concludes near sunset.
  • The mobilization follows arrests of yeshiva students, including Ariel Shamai of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, which organizers cite as the immediate catalyst for the mass turnout.
  • Fault lines have emerged as the Badatz issued a boycott on enlistees with schooling bans for their children, Peleg Yerushalmi declared it will not attend, and some Likud figures signaled support or potential participation.