Traffic slowly resumes on roads, light rail after hours-long Haredi anti-enlistment protest

Traffic slowly resumes along Route 4 and on Jabotinsky Road in Bnei Brak and on the light rail line in Petah Tikva following an hours-long protest by Haredi men in central Israel against the arrest of a draft-dodger.

The anti-enlistment protesters march down the road after they blocked cars at the Geha Interchange, as well as on the train track at the nearby Shenkar light rail station in Petah Tikva.

No arrests are reported despite the traffic disruptions.

Police had warned the public to take alternate routes in order to avoid the Bnei Brak-area sections of Route 4 and Jabotinsky because of the protest by the extremist Haredi Jerusalem Faction. The protest was called over the arrest yesterday of a yeshiva student who declined to enlist.

Footage captured at night shows dozens of Haredi men walking back from the Geha area chanting for the release of “the prisoners of Zion” from Prison 10 — where the military holds draft evaders.

הפרגוד: מתהלוכת הפלג בבני ברק pic.twitter.com/qMnse4mIEF

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) August 24, 2026

Earlier footage from the light rail station shows dozens of Haredi youths yelling “Shikse” — a derogatory Yiddish slur for a non-Jewish woman — at a woman who argues with them on the platform as they climb over the fence and onto the track.

בעקבות הפגנת הפלג הירושלמי, כבר שעתיים שהרכבת הקלה בגוש דן לא מגיעה לתחנות פתח תקווה, במקביל לחסימת כביש 4. אישה שקראה למפגינים לשחרר את החסימה זכתה לקריאות שיקסע (צילום: קובי ישראל) pic.twitter.com/uawJnb01NB

— Yair Foldes (@Yair_Foldes) August 24, 2026

Tevel, the company that operates the light rail’s sole Red Line, said this afternoon that it was halting services to Petah Tikva stations because of the protest. Hours later, the operator said services had resumed but passengers should expect delays.

Navigation apps also show continuing congestion on Jabotinsky Road.