Defense Minister Yisrael Katz strongly condemned remarks made against IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during Monday night’s anti-draft rally in Bnei Brak, declaring that “red lines must not be crossed.”

The comments were made by Hagaon HaRav Aryeh Yazdi during the mass protest against the arrest of Yeshiva Bochrim, where he referred to the IDF chief in harsh terms, saying, “The The IDF Chief of Staff, ימח שמו וזכרו”…

Katz responded by praising Zamir and the IDF’s leadership, stating, “Even when there are public disagreements, it is forbidden to cross red lines of incitement and attacks against those who bear the heavy responsibility for the security of the State of Israel.”

“The Chief of Staff and IDF commanders are leading our soldiers on every front in the defense of the State of Israel and the security of its citizens,” Katz added. “Any incitement against them is unacceptable, dangerous, and worthy of condemnation.”

The rally, attended by thousands, was held to protest the arrests of yeshiva bochurim over military conscription.

During the gathering, former Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Hagaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef declared that if a yeshiva bochur is arrested, “the entire yeshiva should come outside the military prison and recite Selichos,” adding that “wars are won not because of Iron Dome, but because of Torah, the bochurim, and the avreichim.”

At the conclusion of the event, some participants chanted “Deri is a traitor” and “Deri, go home” as Shas MKs attended the rally. Rabbanim present called on the crowd to stop the chants.

A group of demonstrators later descended onto Route 4 in an apparent attempt to block traffic before police intervened.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)