From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Police arrest 11 in violent ultra-Orthodox protests in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh
Stav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
Police say 11 people have been arrested amid riots in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, including one suspect who allegedly bit a police officer, as ultra-Orthodox protests continue against court-approved autopsies of two babies who died yesterday at an unlicensed daycare.
According to police, rioters are setting trash bins on fire and rolling them through the streets, damaging infrastructure, attacking civilians and officers, and blocking train and vehicle traffic in an effort to disrupt daily life.
During attempts to arrest suspects, police say one individual confronted officers and bit one of them on the hand before being detained.
16 מוקדי הפגנות ברחבי הארץ נגד נתיחת גופות הפעוטות שמתו במעון בירושלים; תיעוד מחסימת צומת בר אילן בירושלים >>@daniel_grovais @nakash_noam pic.twitter.com/6Dt50lFmi5
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) January 20, 2026
The same two cities saw rioting last night over a court ruling in favor of carrying out the autopsies. Orthodox Jews generally consider any tampering with a dead body a desecration, and avoid autopsies under most circumstances.
The causes of death of for 4-month-old Leah Goloventzitz and 6-month-old Aharon Katz have not yet been determined.
The Times of Israel Community.