JERUSALEM (VINnews)  — Three yeshiva students were turned over overnight Wednesday to the military police after being detained by Israel Police as part of the new policy introduced by Police Commissioner Dani Levy to transfer every “draft evader” to the military police.

One of the arrests took place in Beit Shemesh, where a yeshiva student from the “Kibbutz Givat Ze’ev” yeshiva was detained at the local police station. The student, who was classified as a draft evader for failing to report to the recruitment office, was transferred directly to the military police for further handling.

At the same time, two additional yeshiva students from the “Mishkan David” yeshiva were arrested by police in the Shaar Binyamin industrial zone (near the town of Tel Tzion) and were also handed over to the military police.

Dozens of protesters arrived at the scene to demonstrate against the arrests, while police used stun grenades to disperse the gathering. Nevertheless, the two yeshiva students — Yaakov Asban and Yaakov Eliasaf  — were handed over to the military police.

According to the “Tzeva Shachor” system, the report to emergency hotlines was received late, and therefore protest activists did not manage to arrive in time to prevent the transfer to military police.

According to a report on Kol Barama radio, in Beit Shemesh the student Reuven Lamenatzeach, from the “Kibbutz Givat Ze’ev” yeshiva, was handed over after being detained at the city police station.

All three students were arrested because they were considered “draft evaders” who had ignored enlistment orders and failed to report to the recruitment offices. The students and their families are receiving legal aid and full support from the organization.

The arrests come amid a dramatic policy change announced this week by Police Commissioner Chief Superintendent Dani Levy. The commissioner instructed senior command staff that from now on, “every draft evader we encounter will be detained, a report will be sent to the military police, and he will be transferred to the military police for further treatment.”

Until now, the police generally avoided arresting draft evaders and had even instructed districts not to deal with the issue. The new decision marks a significant policy shift and has sparked strong reactions in the Torah world and among charedi public representatives.

As previously reported, MK Michael Malkieli of Shas launched a sharp attack yesterday against Commissioner Levy, accusing him of persecuting Torah students for political motives. “Instead of dealing with rising crime and murderers walking free, you are sending Israel Police officers to harass Torah students,” Malkieli wrote.

He added: “Police Commissioner Dani Levy, you’re a hero against the weak! Suddenly, before the elections, you decided to join forces with the Attorney General in order to flatter her, hoping they won’t remove you after the elections.”