Moshe Reuven Verdiger, a married yeshiva student affiliated with the Gur hasidic movement, was arrested Sunday night and transferred to a military prison to serve a 20-day sentence after being declared a draft evader.
Verdiger's arrest has raised concerns that it could trigger a wave of mass protests by members of the Gur community.
According to the report, the chain of events began a week before Verdiger's scheduled enlistment date, when he visited the military recruitment office to submit the documents required to obtain an exemption from military service. At the time, officials reportedly informed him that he was eligible for the exemption.
However, after his enlistment date passed without the exemption being formally approved in the military's system, army representatives contacted him and asked him to return to the recruitment office, saying he only needed to complete a few bureaucratic documents to close the case.
Sources close to Verdiger said he expressed great concern that he might be arrested and even told officials at the recruitment office, "You'll arrest me." They reportedly reassured him, promising that they had no intention of detaining him and that his return was necessary solely for the purpose of receiving his official exemption documents.
According to the report, immediately upon his arrival at the Tel Hashomer recruitment office, his status was changed. Verdiger was classified as having failed to report for military service on time, and was brought for an expedited hearing, after which he was immediately sentenced to 20 days in military prison.
The haredi community is now watching to see whether the Gur leadership will refrain from responding to the unexpected arrest or call for mass demonstrations that could reignite the public dispute over Israel's proposed Draft Law.