Military police overnight Wednesday raided the homes of talmidim of Charedi Hesder yeshivos in an attempt to arrest them for desertion, the L’Chatchila channel reported on Thursday.

According to the report, these are talmidim registered in the official hesder track, but their status has not yet been regulated in the IDF, and therefore they are classified as “deserters.”

Some of the talmidim they attempted to arrest are sons of reservists, and in one incident, the police broke into a home in the middle of the night, terrifying young children whose father is serving in Gaza. The son was not even at home at the time of the raid but was in yeshiva.

According to Channel 12 News, the raids took place in Petach Tikvah.

These are talmidim who are registered in a formal Hesder program, but according to sources knowledgeable of the issue, their status has not yet been regulated in the IDF, and they have been classified as deserters.

According to L’chatchila, the issue is that according to previous military regulations, “deserters” cannot join a hesder program. The regulations have changed, and Chareidim who are interested are now allowed to join a Hesder program.

Sources familiar with the details point a finger at the new head of the Manpower Planning Division, accusing her of dragging her feet and not advancing the regulation of the students’ status. 

L,’Chatchila stated on Thursday afternoon, “Following the attempt to arrest bochurim from the Chareidi hesder yeshivaos last night, urgent gatherings are being held by Roshei Yeshivos and administrators. The purpose: to discuss measures in response to the IDF and the implications of this move for the future.”

“We feel that the army is restricting our steps in every area,” one of the Roshei Yeshivos said.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)