Police monitor plans for mass protest aimed at crippling Israel’s main airport over draft arrests

Israeli authorities are on high alert following reports that members of the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem Faction are planning a large-scale protest at Ben-Gurion Airport in the coming week, with the aim of shutting it down for several hours.

The planned action, circulated on social media, is a response to the continued arrest of ultra-Orthodox, or haredi, men accused of dodging the draft and refusing to serve in the Israel Defence Forces. The Jerusalem Faction, known for its hard-line opposition to military service, has a history of disruptive protests, but a direct attempt to paralyse the country’s busiest airport marks a significant escalation.

Police sources told Maariv they have been monitoring online posts about the demonstration. Some messages were found to be false, apparently uploaded to incite public outrage and fuel online discourse. Others, however, were deemed genuine, prompting law enforcement to prepare contingency measures.

Should the protest materialise and succeed in blocking operations, the economic and logistical consequences could be severe. Ben-Gurion Airport handles tens of thousands of passengers daily, with traffic peaking during the summer travel season and in the run-up to the High Holy Days. Officials warn that even a brief shutdown could cause ripple effects across Israel’s economy, tourism sector, and international travel links.

The airport is a critical gateway not only for Israeli citizens but also for foreign visitors, business leaders, and diplomats. Disruptions to flight schedules could lead to widespread cancellations, delays, and diverted flights, costing airlines and the wider economy millions.

Law enforcement agencies have stressed that they will act decisively to prevent any attempt to block the airport. Police are prepared to deploy officers in significant numbers to secure the facility’s entrances, access roads, and terminals should protesters arrive en masse. Additional security forces are expected to be on standby to ensure that travellers can access check-in areas and boarding gates without obstruction.

Ben-Gurion Airport’s security protocols are already among the strictest in the world, but officials fear that a well-coordinated protest could still clog entry points and cause operational chaos without breaching physical security perimeters.

The Jerusalem Faction’s campaign reflects deep and ongoing tensions between Israel’s secular and ultra-Orthodox communities over compulsory military service. While most Jewish Israeli citizens are required to serve in the IDF, the haredi population has traditionally been granted exemptions for full-time religious study. In recent years, those exemptions have been increasingly challenged, leading to a rise in draft enforcement and, consequently, in haredi resistance.

Supporters of the Jerusalem Faction argue that the arrests of draft dodgers violate their religious freedoms and way of life. Critics counter that the policy of broad exemptions is unsustainable in a country where the security service is seen as a civic duty.

The police have not confirmed whether they believe the protest will go ahead at the scale suggested online. Nevertheless, their preparations indicate they are taking the threat seriously. “We monitor all posts on social media and respond accordingly,” one police source said. “Our priority is to ensure the safety of the public and the smooth operation of essential infrastructure.”

If the protest unfolds as planned, it could become one of the most disruptive acts of civil disobedience in Israel in recent years—directly targeting a facility that serves as the nation’s primary connection to the outside world.