The bluff behind the arrest of draft dodgers at Ben Gurion Airport exposed: "She wants to see arrests"
About 40 Chabad young men were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport upon their return from the US, but most were released after it became clear they were in the process of enlistment. A Haredi source claims the timing, days before the elections, was intended to bring the enlistment issue back to the headlines.
About 40 Chabad young men returning from the United States were arrested upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, but most were released after it became clear they had already reported for initial military screening or were in various stages of enlistment. Only two remained in custody, after an extended stay abroad. A Haredi source claims this is a 'farce', and that the timing, days before the elections, was intended to bring the enlistment issue back to the headlines and suppress voting. According to him, there used to be a mechanism with the IDF to regulate the departure of Chabad young men for a year of study in New York, but now there is no such mechanism. The source added that Chabad is a group that enlists to a large extent, and the army has an interest in maintaining this. The IDF Spokesperson's response stated that enforcement continues according to the law.