Extremist Haredim block Route 4, some clash with civilians and cops

Hundreds of extremist Haredi men block roads in central Israel in protest of the recent arrests of draft dodgers, and clash with cops and members of the public.

The Tel Aviv light rail says it is operating along a shortened route that doesn’t include the Petah Tikva area due to the protests near that city and in Bnei Brak, as well as Geha Interchange on Route 4 that is located between them.

עימותים בין מפגיני הפלג הירושלמי ואזרחים בהפגנות במחלף גהה. המשטרה לא נוכחת בחלק מהמוקדים, והעניינים הופכים לאלימים. בהשוואה להפגנות קודמות יש כאן המון קטינים, חלקם צעירים במיוחד pic.twitter.com/c0998qp3Yj

— Yair Foldes (@Yair_Foldes) July 16, 2026

Police advised drivers to use alternative routes, but those have also been blocked, Hebrew media reports.

The demonstrators, many of them underage, clash with civilians in some cases, including breaking the side mirrors of a car that tried to push forward despite the road being blocked, according to Haaretz.