Demonstration in Jerusalem.
Demonstration in Jerusalem.Avremi Tzemach, News 24

Sources close to Shas Chairman MK Aryeh Deri say he has negotiated a “quiet deal” with IDF to allow a yeshiva student who is under arrest to attend the Pesach Seder with his family. The understanding was reportedly reached between Deri and IDF Personnel Branch Head, Major General Orna Barbivai.

The arrest and subsquent refusal to allow the student to attend the Seder sparked rioting.

Hundreds of hareidim protested Thursday at Kikar Hashabat (Sabbath Square) in Jerusalem, against the jailing of a young man who refused to enlist to the IDF. The protesters are from the eida hareidit stream, which organized mass rallies in the past.

Police arrested five of the protesters. A small group of protesters reportedly set garbage bins on fire and threw glass bottles at police. There were also four arrests at a similar demonstration in Bnei Brak.

The yeshiva student was arrested and sentenced to 20 days in jail, for failing to show up to the military recruitment center after receiving his first summons to service.

The young man's relatives said police had told them that he would not be freed to take part in the Pesach Seder. This is apparently what caused the anger that led to the protest.

In the past few days, MKs Meir Porush and Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism, or UTJ) have been trying to secure the young man's release for the Seder. Deri now appears to have had more success.