• Members of the ultra-Orthodox community will hold a protest near Bnei Brak’s Givat Shmuel Interchange, commonly called the Coca-Cola Interchange, starting at 21:00 (local time) on November 22.

1. The upcoming demonstration by Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community is part of ongoing protests in recent weeks against the government’s plan to draft ultra-Orthodox members to address manpower shortages in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). On November 16, ultra-Orthodox crowds in Bnei Brak attacked the vehicle and home of two Knesset members from Shas and United Torah Judaism to express opposition to their backing of the government’s plan to conscript ultra-Orthodox individuals. These events highlight the elevated state of tensions among the ultra-Orthodox with respect to the conscription plan.
2. FORECAST: Due to the elevated sentiments within the ultra-orthodox community, the upcoming protest in Bnei Brak is likely to attract a sizeable turnout, potentially in the high dozens. Authorities are likely to bolster their presence at the protest venue to prevent the protest from turning unruly. Localized scuffles between protestors and security forces cannot be ruled out, particularly if forces intervene against behavior perceived as disruptive. There also remains a possibility that demonstrators may block major routes, including Highway 4, which could lead to temporary traffic delays near the interchange.

Those operating or residing in Bnei Brak on November 22 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance and allot for travel disruptions due to the slated protest and the associated risk of localized unrest