Ofer Winter, chairman of the People of Israel party, was attacked by protesters in Bnei Brak on Thursday, where he had gone to speak with haredi (ultra-Orthodox) individuals enlisting in the IDF.
"Nazi, dog. Get out of here!” protesters were heard shouting at Winter.
During the meeting, Winter stated, "For 20 years, politicians have argued over who would draft the ultra-orthodox - yet in practice, they failed to do so, and the People of Israel lost out.”
He continued, "We will pass a ‘Servants' Law’ those who serve will receive more, while those who do not regularize their status will receive nothing. I successfully integrated and recruited ultra-orthodox soldiers into the specialized IDF companies I established, units that drew hundreds of recruits, a feat far surpassing what the 'sideline shouters' could achieve in another hundred years."
Winter was also confronted by extremists affiliated with the anti-IDF draft haredi Jerusalem Faction (Peleg Yerushalmi), who hurled insults at him, including "Nazi" and "antisemite."
Winter responded to the Jerusalem Faction protesters, "You are bringing disgrace upon the Torah!"
He then asked one of the protesters who had confronted him, "Why are you here attacking me instead of studying Torah?"
Hundreds of Haredi protesters gathered for draft evaders
Hundreds of Haredi demonstrators gathered to protest the arrest of draft evaders, near the Chords Bridge in Jerusalem and in Central Israel on Thursday.
The protest was organized by the Jerusalem Faction and led to the disruption of Jerusalem’s light rail operations as well as the closure of Highway 4 to traffic by Israel Police.
"Protest is a right; disturbing public order is not," Police Commissioner Daniel Levy said in an afternoon statement.