For the first time since the issuance of the recent 3,000 military draft orders, a yeshiva bochur was arrested last night at Ben Gurion Airport while attempting to travel to Ukraine for a visit to kivrei tzaddikim. The bochur, identified as 20-year-old Amitai Amar, is a talmid at the Tiferes Tzvi yeshiva in Yerushalayim. He was detained and is currently being held at the Neve Tzedek detention facility.
Before his departure, the possibility of him leaving the country was assessed, and it was initially stated that there were no obstacles to his exit. However, after the arrest, it became clear that his military draft status had not been properly resolved, leading to his detention.
A military court hearing is scheduled for today, and the expected outcome is that, should his detention be extended, widespread protests will erupt across the chareidi community in Eretz Yisroel.
Sources revealed that consultations with various parties have been underway since last night on how to proceed.
The rabbeim of the Tiferes Tzvi yeshiva where Amitai is a talmid have enlisted the services of Attorney Menachem Shtauber, a specialist in the arrest process for yeshiva students and a recognized expert in military prosecution.
The Lemaancha organization, which provides support for those facing military conscription, issued a statement saying, “Last night, a yeshiva student was arrested after his draft status was not resolved due to the lack of legislation governing the status of yeshiva students. Since the arrest, the Lemaancha organization has been tirelessly working to provide the detainee and his family with all the necessary assistance.”
The organization continued, “This was the detaining of a yeshiva student who, due to his personal history, complied with the first draft order. An attorney from our association was sent this morning to the Neve Tzedek detention center, where they are working with the legal team to examine the details of the case. Based on the military court’s decisions, further actions will be determined.”
The Ezram Umeginam organization has also assigned an attorney to Amitai, and the family is receiving guidance and support.

Following a ruling from the Israeli High Court in June 2024, which concluded that there was no longer a legal justification for exempting chareidi yeshiva students from mandatory military service, the IDF began issuing thousands of draft orders to members of the chareidi community.
{Matzav.com Israel}