Following the call of HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein to bnei yeshivos to stay far away from left-wing protesters in the city at the protest scheduled on Thursday at 7 p.m., Bnei Brak poskim and l’havdil politicians, even those from the opposition, have joined the call to prevent violence.

The protests in Bnei Brak, which are purely anti-Chareidi and have nothing to do with judicial reform, have been condemned even by some of the leaders of the protests against the government. There have been reports that protesters will deliberately try to provoke residents with anti-religious provocations. Numerous social media users, even secular ones, slammed the planned protest in Bnei Brak as simply an attempt to spark a civil war.

According to a Channel 12 News report, President Isaac Herzog and his staff have been talking with various parties in recent days to prevent violence between protesters and Bnei Brak residents. Herzog issued a statement on Thursday calling on everyone to act responsibly and “refrain from harming an entire Israeli sector, its beliefs and ways of life.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office stated in the afternoon that the prime minister instructed Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs to talk with the heads of Chareidi parties and public opinion leaders “calling on the public not to approach the areas of friction and be dragged into provocations.”

Benny Gantz, leader of the National Camp party, has also condemned the protest in Bnei Brak and has instructed the members of his party not to participate in it.

Alon-li Green, the head of the anti-government Standing Together movement, spoke out against the protest in Bnei Brak to several media channels.

“It’s really upsetting to see that the main march of the protest day on Thursday will be in Bnei Brak and that some of the organizations are taking buses there,” Green said. “It is important to note that this is not a demonstration by Chareidi residents against the government but a demonstration against the residents of Bnei Brak for being Chareidi and government supporters. So problematic.”

Two of Bnei Brak’s senior poskim, HaGaon HaRav Yehudah Silman and HaGaon HaRav Shariel Rosenberg, published a letter on Thursday, stating: “Leftists are planning a huge protest in Bnei Brak and their entire goal is to provoke yirei Shamayim. And if the Chareidim come and watch it and fight with them, that will be their success. Therefore we’re informing you of the daas of Maran Rosh Hayeshivah [HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein] that it’s assur for every Ben Torah and Chareidi girl to go to the area of the protest, this is apart from the fact that it would be a great breach in tznius and it’s a complete issur.”

“And on the contrary, at the time that they are gathering to fight yirei Shamayim, we have to be mechazeik and at that time, we must enter the Batei Medrashos and increase Torah and tefillah.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)