A Belzer yungerman was detained in Kiryat Gat on Friday, just hours before Shabbos, on allegations of draft evasion, triggering outrage within the chassidus and prompting Police Commissioner Dani Levy to order an immediate review of the incident.

According to eyewitnesses, the yungerman approached police officers during a gathering in the city in an effort to assist them. During the interaction, officers allegedly discovered that he was listed as a draft evader and moved to detain him, with plans to transfer him to military authorities.

The arrest quickly sparked protests, with the “Tzeva Shachor” network, which coordinates demonstrations following the detention of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim, calling on supporters to gather at the scene and prevent his transfer to the military police.

Senior figures in Belz reacted angrily to the detention. One source warned that the incident could seriously damage relations between the chassidus and law enforcement.

“There are hundreds from Belz who serve in the military,” the source said. “If this yungerman is not released, they will all return home on Sunday.”

The arrest comes amid heightened sensitivity surrounding the enforcement of draft-related regulations within the chareidi community. According to eyewitness accounts, the yungerman was not involved in any confrontation with police and had approached officers voluntarily during an incident in the city.

The incident also comes a day after reports that Israel Police are formulating a new policy regarding the handling of chareidi draft evaders. Under the reported framework, individuals who voluntarily enter a police station to file a complaint, report a missing person, or receive police services would not be detained or transferred to military authorities. However, those encountered during routine police activity would continue to be subject to existing procedures.

Following the public outcry, Commissioner Dani Levy ordered an immediate examination of the circumstances surrounding the detention and the chain of events that led to the yungerman’s arrest.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)