Chareidi Leaders Unite, Declare ‘War’ Over Military Arrest Of Yeshiva Students

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In the early hours of Monday, two brothers from the Yitzhakov family, who are students at the “Meorot HaTorah” Yeshiva in Telz Stone, were arrested at their home in Tel Aviv for “draft evasion”. (A third student from the Acheinu yeshiva in Modiin Illit, was arrested early Thursday morning.)

While the arrest initially passed quietly, by Wednesday evening top rabbinic leaders convened for urgent consultations and, as reported extensively in this morning’s religious newspapers, decided to ‘declare war’ over the matter.

In an official statement, the Va’ad HaHatzalah of the Jerusalem Faction (“HaPeleg HaYerushalmi”) wrote:

“Due to the dangerous escalation in the decree of spiritual destruction and the continued persecution of Torah learners by the evil authorities, and following the wicked arrest of ‘Meorot HaTorah’ yeshiva students for the ‘crime’ of Torah study, the rabbis of the Committee consulted with Rabbi Azriel Auerbach and other Roshei Yeshiva. From them came a clear directive: to hold a mass protest against the wicked regime, with thousands of Torah-observant Jews gathering for a major demonstration in the streets of Jerusalem at 17:00.”

The statement continued:

“The rabbis expressed sharp condemnation of the situation: ‘Today, everyone understands that we are in a decisive battle for the soul of the entire charedi world. It is the obligation of every Jew to protest the grave humiliation of Torah learners.’”

The battle this time was not confined to the Jerusalem Faction, representing 10-15% of the charedi public, but has spread to the mainstream charedi public. From the home of Lithuanian Haredi leader Rabbi Dov Landau, a statement followed an emergency consultation held at his residence in Bnei Brak:

The statement stressed:

“Last week, Rabbi Landau warned in his speech at the Va’ad HaYeshivot assembly that if the State of Israel declares war on Torah students, the global charedi world will rise up in battle. The State of Israel has now declared war on Torah students. The global charedi community will wage an unprecedented battle!”

The headline of Yated Ne’eman, the newspaper of the Degel HaTorah party which is vetted by Rabbi Landau’s associates, on Thursday morning carried a single word: “War.”

The subheadline reads:
“The State of Israel has declared open war against Bnei Torah: Two yeshiva student brothers were taken from their home and arrested by military authorities.”

According to the article in the newspaper, military and police forces carried out nighttime raids on the homes of yeshiva students, during which the two brothers, both yeshiva students, were arrested at their home in Tel Aviv. Their remand has reportedly been extended by a military court.

The newspaper accuses Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of leading a “draconian campaign on several fronts simultaneously,” aiming to create an “irreversible clash” between state authorities and the charedi community. It further states that these actions represent “a crossing of a red line in the severe persecution of the Torah world,” and warns that they may “gravely damage the legitimacy of the State of Israel to represent the Jewish people.”

In a sharply worded editorial published in the inner pages, the paper writes:
“The leaders of the Israeli state have decided to stick their heads into the guillotine… the war drums are already pounding at the temples… the Jewish world is now uniting to fight for its soul.”

Later in the article, it adds:
“When it comes to Torah—the outcome is already decided: we have won. The only question is what will happen along the way and what price the persecutors will pay. This is no longer a plea or supplication, but a warning and a threat: ‘Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.'”

Prominent rabbis placed blame for the arrests squarely on charedi politicians, accusing them of falling into a trap set by the military. According to them, the IDF’s plan was never to arrest students from major charedi cities, but rather to target peripheral areas to avoid mass unrest.

In response to the situation, top rabbis have declared a decisive campaign. Rabbi Moshe Tzedakah, a prominent Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva, conducted lengthy consultations and issued a dramatic public statement:

“Rabbi Tzedakah has instructed: Take to the streets and protest. A massive demonstration will take place tomorrow (Thursday) at 17:00, by order of the great Torah leaders, headed by Rabbi Tzedakah himself. The protest will be held at the ‘Maran Intersection’ (Bar Ilan Junction) in Jerusalem, in response to the draft decree imposed on the Haredi public by legislation and force—especially following the arrest of the two Yitzhakov brothers, who were abducted and arrested from their home in the dead of night by military authorities for the ‘crime’ of Torah study.”

Rabbi Tzedakah also declared:

“How is it possible that a Torah student, filled with the spirit of Hashem, would not come out tomorrow to protest the degradation of Torah learners, the crown jewel of creation, who are being humiliated to the ground in the Holy Land?”

The Shas party’s official newspaper HaDerech, also featured a bold front page with the headline:

“War for Hashem; the Torah world prepares for an unprecedented struggle.”

Even though Shas had remained silent about the arrests (despite the detainees being Sephardic), their newspaper reflected the rage. Under the headline, it read:

“Fury and disgust over the vile actions of IDF officials, who sent the military police to carry out pre-planned arrests. Feverish consultations are being held in the homes of Torah leaders to plan a battle that will shake the entire world.”

Quoting members of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah (Shas’ Council of Torah Sages), the paper positioned the event as a defining moment in the struggle between the religious community and the state.