Military Court Sentences Newlywed Yeshiva Student to 20 Days After Wedding Arrest

A military court sentenced a newlywed yeshiva student to 20 days in prison after IDF Military Police arrested him at a bus stop on Sunday.

Yaari Lieberman, who had married days earlier, was detained while traveling to a family celebration. The court ordered his confinement in a military facility. The sentence was handed down shortly after the incident.

Lieberman was with his wife when the officers intervened. Reports indicate the police arrived in civilian clothing without visible identification badges. They reportedly tracked his location through his cellphone. His wife stated the officers did not identify themselves as military police, causing her to fear he had been kidnapped.

The arrest occurred as the couple exited a bus heading to a Sheva Brachot feast. This traditional meal is held during the week following a Jewish wedding. Lieberman was taken from the scene and transferred to a military prison. The detention marks the second attempt to hold him this month.

Senior politicians from the Haredi bloc reacted swiftly to the detention. MK Yitzhak Goldknopf, chairman of Agudat Yisrael, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to pass legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students. Goldknopf described the arrest as a new low in the enforcement of conscription.

Goldknopf stated that the pursuit of students who study Torah has crossed lines of humanity. He demanded Lieberman's immediate release and placed responsibility for the situation on the Prime Minister's shoulders. MK Yaakov Asher, chairman of United Torah Judaism, appealed directly to the defense minister. Asher asked for intervention to secure the student's return to his family.

MK Yinon Azoulay, chairman of Shas, moved to sign an urgent petition. The document called on the defense minister to secure the newlywed's immediate release. The political pressure highlights the tension between the defense establishment and Haredi parties over military service.

This is not the first time Military Police have tried to detain Lieberman. On October 6, officers arrived at his parents' home in Modi'in. Protesters gathered outside the residence and prevented the arrest after approximately two hours of resistance. The current incident is expected to trigger further demonstrations as opposition to the draft intensifies.