Israel balances law enforcement and civil rights after extremist mob targets IDF soldiers.
United Torah Judaism faction chairman Uri Maklev submitted an urgent motion Monday evening to Amir Ohana, calling for a Knesset debate over police conduct during the recent riots in Bnei Brak.
The unrest erupted after two soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces Education Corps arrived for a routine home visit. A crowd mistakenly believed they were distributing draft orders, forcing the soldiers to seek shelter in a nearby apartment until police evacuated them.
Maklev: Condemn Violence, Question Policing
Maklev sharply denounced the rioters, describing their actions as “lawlessness” that contradicts Torah values. However, he directed most of his criticism toward the police response.
He argued that the gravity of extremist violence does not justify what he called “indiscriminate force” against bystanders. Maklev claimed the police response resembled collective punishment rather than measured law enforcement and demanded an urgent plenary debate with participation from the Ministry of National Security.
Arrests Largely Unravel
Simultaneously, it emerged that most of those detained were released without indictment. Defense attorneys Shlomo Haddad and Itai Cohen stated that out of 27 arrests:
- 20 individuals have been released
- 7 remain in custody
- 4 of those still held are minors
The lawyers alleged that many of the arrests were “show arrests” designed to create deterrence, claiming most detainees were bystanders uninvolved in violence.
A Sensitive National Balance
The events in Bnei Brak have reignited tensions surrounding conscription debates and policing standards. While leaders across Israel’s political spectrum condemned attacks against soldiers as a red line, questions now surface regarding the proportionality of enforcement measures.
Israel faces a dual imperative:
- Protect IDF personnel and maintain public order
- Ensure policing remains professional, targeted, and lawful
As calls for parliamentary review grow, the episode underscores the fragile balance between security enforcement and civil rights within Israel’s democratic framework.
