Hundreds of Haredi protesters blocked a major highway east of Tel Aviv Monday evening, jamming commuters during rush hour, including a driver who attempted to ram through the demonstrators, injuring a teen.

The gathering was the latest of a series of demonstrations by members of the ultra-Orthodox community to protest attempts by the Israel Defense Forces to enforce mandatory military draft orders.

The protest took place on Route 4 near Bnei Brak, a major Haredi city adjacent to Tel Aviv. Police declared the demonstration illegal but did not disperse its participants for several hours, instead closing off traffic in both directions and guiding traffic to alternate routes.

The highway was later cleared and reopened to traffic.

The protest was organized by the extremist Jerusalem Faction, a Haredi group known for staging fiery demonstrations against the draft, in response to the Friday arrest of an 18-year-old yeshiva student, Maor Vazana, who ignored his IDF conscription order.

Demonstrators sat on the asphalt, blocking cars from passing by, as others danced and sang on the street. Some were seen arguing with drivers who later exited their vehicles.

One driver, seemingly angry at the blocked........

© The Times of Israel