Demonstrators from the radical haredi Jerusalem Faction gathered on Thursday to protest the arrest of draft dodgers and are blocking Route 4 in both directions near Bnei Brak in central Israel.
The demonstrators clashed with police, threw rocks at them, and called them "Nazis." The police declared the demonstration an unlawful gathering.
Due to the demonstration, Route 4 northbound was blocked from the Aluf Sadeh Interchange, and traffic is being diverted to Route 471. In the other direction, the highway was blocked from the Em Hamoshavot Junction, and traffic was being diverted into Petah Tikva.
After about four hours, the demonstration dispersed and the road reopened for traffic.
In Jerusalem, protesters blocked Bar Lev Road and Begin Boulevard. Police attempted to disperse the demonstrators with force. Demonstrators were seen holding signs referring to the detained draft dodgers as "hostages."
Police said that "at a certain point, some of the protesters on Bar-Lev Road began disrupting public order, ignored police instructions, provoked and clashed with officers, and threw stones, a wooden plank, bottles, flowerpots, and more at them. As a result, a Border Police officer was lightly injured by a stone thrown at him."
Police clashed with the demonstrators until they were dispersed by force, and the roads were reopened to traffic.