הפגנת "הפלג הירושלמי"

Demonstrators from the extremist haredi Jerusalem Faction (Peleg Yerushalmi) arrived on Thursday at the intersection of Jerusalem's Jaffa and Sarei Israel streets, blocking the road and disrupting traffic.

The intersection is centrally located, near the city's entrance and Central Bus Station.

Israel Police are working to return order, and recommend travelers choose alternate routes in the interim. According to police, 37 of the protesters have been arrested.

The demonstration follows the arrest of Eitan Rada, who was jailed for refusing to register with the Draft Office. It is organized by the "Committee for Saving the Torah World (CSTW)."

Every Israeli must register for the draft before the age of 18. Anyone who brings a letter from his yeshiva head is given an automatic deferment for as long as he remains in yeshiva. However, those belonging to the Jerusalem Faction refuse to register, and therefore do not receive their legal deferments, placing them at risk of being arrested for draft-dodging.

In a statement, CSTW said, "The haredi public understands, today more than ever, that goals and quotas...are a horrible and terrible decree made solely for the purpose of putting an end to the haredi community."