[57666] The 'Deserter' storm documented in Thailand: From Haredi protests to online clashes

The 'Deserter' storm documented in Thailand: From Haredi protests to online clashes

A public storm has erupted following the publication of footage of a young man from Netivot, who was previously crowned a hero of the struggle against enlistment among the Jerusalem Faction, while vacationing in shorts in Thailand. The young man, who was previously arrested at Ben Gurion Airport and led massive protests and road blocks under the banner "Blessed are you for being caught for words of Torah," is now documented in a situation that stands in complete contradiction to the public struggle he led, according to the report on News from the Field on Telegram.

The images sparked sharp reactions in the political system. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took a jab at Netanyahu, saying: "This is yours, Netanyahu, and it's not AI," while Member of Knesset Avigdor Liberman stated that "the party will soon be over," as reported in News from the Field on Telegram.

At the same time, violent discourse developed on social media surrounding the affair. According to Daniel Amram Uncensored, the young man's friend, Yishai Nakash, came to his defense and claimed: "He is still an Avrech who went to enjoy himself a little, what's all the fuss about" (to source). Nakash also clarified that he has no intention of enlisting himself.

The storm escalated when Nakash got into an argument with an IDF soldier in the comments online, and wrote a blunt statement to him: "While you were in Lebanon your mother was with me" (to source). This statement sparked much anger on the networks, against the backdrop of the fact that Nakash's friend is perceived by many as a symbol of draft evasion that is funded or politically backed, in contrast to the mandatory service of IDF soldiers.