Chabad Yeshiva Students Detained at Ben Gurion Airport Spark Outrage
Dozens of Chabad yeshiva students were detained at Ben Gurion Airport upon returning to Israel, sparking public outrage. Chabad officials warned the arrests could hinder draft compliance and called for immediate legislative solutions.
Chabad Yeshiva Students Detained at Ben Gurion Airport
Dozens of Chabad Hasidic yeshiva students were detained on Tuesday at Ben Gurion Airport upon returning to Israel, sparking a major public uproar. Rabbi Shimi Segal, a spokesperson for Chabad, strongly criticized the arrests in an interview with Walla, targeting officials who failed to regulate the students' legal status with authorities.
"This is a shocking event," Rabbi Segal said, warning that the current move could backfire on the defense establishment and the government. "It will cause them personally to evade the draft."
"This is a shocking event... It will cause them personally to evade the draft."
According to Segal, 27 students were detained out of a group of 80 due to unresolved legal status issues following the expiration of previous deferment arrangements. He noted that many Chabad members ultimately serve in IDF units and called for a prompt legislative solution to preserve the traditional study path.
Efforts for Release and Rejection of Road Protests
Parallel to legal coordination, the Chabad Rabbinical Court is actively engaged with relevant authorities to secure the release of the detained students. Segal emphasized that the community remains law-abiding despite the difficult situation, noting that public prayer initiatives like laying tefillin will be held in merit of the detainees.
Despite deep community anger, Segal firmly distanced official Chabad leadership from disruptive tactics such as blocking roads or holding physical demonstrations. "If we block roads, it will not help us and it will not release them; every citizen must obey the law," he concluded, stressing that swift administrative solutions are preferable to confrontation.
