IDF pushes back on police claim that soldiers attacked in Bnei Brak were encouraging Haredi enlistement

The IDF pushes back against claims made by the police that the two servicewomen who were attacked by a mob in Bnei Brak yesterday were in the ultra-Orthodox city to encourage enlistment of young Haredi men.

“There is no home visit here; this is the distribution of flyers to pre-induction candidates, to interest them in military units ahead of their enlistment,” Cdr. Elad Klein, chief of the police’s Dan precinct, tells Kan radio this morning.

Klein says that while there is no need for the IDF to “receive approval” for such activities, “I think it is proper and right to update the police so they know to prepare, and we won’t have to go in with a limited force to rescue female soldiers and, in the process, have a patrol car and a bus attacked, a patrol car and a scooter.”

The IDF denies that the two squad commanders at the Education and Youth Corps had been in Bnei Brak to encourage enlistment of Haredi men, and says they were there to visit one draftee at his home ahead of his enlistment and provide him with an information pamphlet.

The military publishes an image of the pamphlet that was given to the draftee, which it says is given out to all soldiers who are set to arrive at the Havat Hashomer training base — intended for recruits who have difficulties entering the army’s framework.

The pamphlet specifies the draftee’s enlistment date, details about the training, and other preparations they should carry out before they officially join the army.