'Anti-draft protesters are reckless fools'

arutz7

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky blasts Yerushalmi Faction over wave of anti-draft protests: 'They're empty, foolish people who insult great rabbis.'

One of the leading rabbinic authorities in the haredi community lambasted anti-draft demonstrators affiliated with the Yerushalmi Faction (Jerusalem Faction) movement, calling them “empty, foolish and reckless people” after a series of protests across the country following the arrest of two haredi draft dodgers.

After a series of smaller protests last week, the Yerushalmi Faction declared a “Day of Rage” last Thursday, leading hundreds of supporters to protest around the country.

Some 120 demonstrators were arrested for blocking roads and clashing with police officers.

Led by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, the Yerushalmi Faction has rejected the mainstream haredi approach of relying upon deferments provided by the army for full-time yeshiva students to avoid be drafted.

Rabbi Auerbach has called upon supporters not to cooperate with the IDF in any capacity, even to secure a draft deferment, instead encouraging young haredi men to ignore the draft board and if necessary be arrested.