An Israeli traffic police officer is facing scrutiny after being filmed attempting to calm a group of chareidi protesters by repeatedly insisting that he does not deal with arresting draft dodgers and was only issuing a traffic citation.

The incident, which took place Wednesday in Modi’in during a spontaneous chareidi protest, sparked controversy because the officer’s remarks appeared to contradict standing directives issued by Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy regarding the handling of draft dodgers.

According to current police policy, officers who encounter individuals classified as draft dodgers are instructed to detain them for up to 30 minutes while waiting for military police to arrive. If military police do not arrive within that timeframe, officers are supposed to issue an official summons directing the individual to report to military authorities.

The footage, first published by Israel Hayom, shows the officer repeatedly trying to reassure angry demonstrators that he had no intention of arresting the chareidi man involved.

According to journalist Yaakov Hershkowitz, the confrontation began after the traffic officer stopped a chareidi driver over a traffic violation.

Once word spread through chareidi news hotlines and extremist WhatsApp groups that a chareidi man had been detained, protesters rushed to the scene fearing he would be transferred to military authorities.

Dozens of demonstrators reportedly gathered at the location, launching an impromptu protest. Although the detained individual was eventually released, protesters remained at the scene and confronted the officer over recent arrests of yeshiva bochurim.

In the video, the officer can be heard repeatedly attempting to explain that he was not involved in draft enforcement.

“I didn’t deal with the draft dodging issue. I said to release him. Listen carefully to what I’m explaining to you — I did not deal with draft dodgers,” the officer told the crowd.

One protester responded skeptically: “Other police officers in other places do. How are we supposed to know the difference?”

The officer answered: “I know, no problem, I don’t care about anyone else. I know what I’m saying. Right now I’m not dealing with draft dodgers. He only received a traffic ticket, that’s the story. Is it allowed to give a traffic ticket? A traffic ticket — that’s the story.”

At another point in the exchange, when a protester shouted, “You don’t detain chareidim?” the officer raised his voice and replied: “There was nothing.”

Following publication of the footage, criticism mounted against what some described as the officer’s “capitulation” to protesters and failure to follow official police directives.

In response, the Israel Police issued a sharp statement distancing itself from the officer’s conduct.

“The commissioner views the officer’s conduct seriously, as it contradicts organizational directives. The matter will be examined accordingly,” the police statement said.