Bennett and Deri Clash Over Bnei Brak Incident, Fueling Political Tensions

A political firestorm erupted Sunday night following a mob attack on two female IDF soldiers in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Shas party leader Aryeh Deri engaged in a public and increasingly heated exchange. The incident has ignited a debate over draft evasion within the ultra-Orthodox community and the government’s response to rising tensions.

Bennett Accuses Netanyahu’s Government of Inaction

Bennett visited Bnei Brak after the soldiers were rescued by police from a violent riot, filming a video on the streets where he directly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. He argued that the attack was a direct consequence of the government’s perceived tolerance of draft evasion. “This didn’t happen in a vacuum; there is an address for this behavior,” Bennett stated in the video posted to social media. The Times of Israel reported.

Bennett specifically accused Netanyahu and the Haredi parties of ignoring calls opposing military service and turning a blind eye to violence against Haredi soldiers who do enlist. He linked the incident to a growing acceptance of avoiding military duty, stating, “This is what happens when people sense that draft evasion is winning.”

Deri Demands Bennett Be Barred from Bnei Brak

Aryeh Deri responded sharply, calling Bennett a political opportunist and demanding that police issue a restraining order to prevent him from entering Bnei Brak. Israel National News reported that Deri accused Bennett of attempting to exploit a sensitive situation for political gain. “This inciter and instigator arrived in the city with the aim of inflaming passions and exploiting this painful situation to gain votes for himself,” Deri declared in a statement posted on X.

Deri further characterized Bennett as a “despicable man” who should not be present at the scene. He called on the police commissioner to immediately issue the restraining order.

Escalating Attacks and Reciprocal Accusations

The exchange quickly escalated. Bennett retorted that the problem wasn’t Deri, but rather Netanyahu, whom he accused of “selling” the country to Deri. The Yeshiva World detailed the back-and-forth on X.

Bennett also accused Deri of encouraging young Haredi men to avoid military service, claiming Netanyahu remained silent and supportive of such actions. Shas, in turn, accused Bennett of hypocrisy, alleging he had previously relied on support from Arab politicians to achieve power, specifically referencing his coalition with Mansour Abbas and the Ra’am party during his time as Prime Minister from 2021 to 2022.

Broader Concerns and Condemnation

The ambush of the soldiers and subsequent riots drew widespread condemnation, including from Haredi politicians and spiritual leaders, who expressed concern that the incident could harm efforts to maintain exemptions from military service for the ultra-Orthodox community. MSN reported that Yitzhak Goldknopf, head of the United Torah Judaism party, expressed shock at the violence, calling it “contrary to the Torah.”

The Haredi leadership has been actively seeking a law to maintain exemptions from the IDF for its constituency, following a High Court ruling that deemed decades-long blanket exemptions illegal. Coalition lawmakers have struggled to find a solution that satisfies both the ultra-Orthodox community and broader demands for shared military service.