National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his wife, Ayala, were accosted and attacked by Neturei Karta extremists in Beit Shemesh on Thursday.
Ben-Gvir's office said that during a routine ride through the city, he noticed a Palestinian flag graffitied on a wall. He said he pulled over to update the local police on the matter, during which dozens of Neturei Karta protesters gathered around him, yelling, “Zionist,” “Killer,” “You are in favor of drafting [to the IDF],” and “Get out of here.” He said that they then tried to physically attack him.
The minister responded, “This here is the State of Israel - the police will enforce the law here!”
“It is embarrassing and unacceptable that this happened in a neighborhood in Israel,” Ben-Gvir said in a video that circulated on social media soon after the event.
His office added that a female Neturei Karta protester slapped Ayala, who in turn slapped her back “to protect herself.”
Ayala later filed a police complaint against the woman.
תיעוד בלעדי ▪︎ אישה מתקרבת לאיילה בן גביר וסוטרת לה ▪︎ איילה מחזירה לה ואיתמר מתחיל לרדוף אחריה@itamarbengvir@ayalabengvir@IL_policeלהצטרפות ל'חדשות העיר' - בית שמש https://t.co/mE9hFdGPXU pic.twitter.com/9p0gXCivpv
— חדשות העיר בית שמש (@city_news_bs) May 15, 2025
Backup security forces arrived soon after to quell the protest. Footage from the scene showed one officer throw a stun grenade into the crowd.
Shortly after, officers began spraying over the graffiti of the Palestinian flags on the walls. So far, per the police, one person has been arrested, and more are expected.
Police added that the protesters surrounded Ben-Gvir's car and tried to attack it.
Some areas of Beit Shemesh have been hotbeds of anti-Zionist extremism for some time.
This comes as the political pressure to resolve the draft issue comes to a boil, with ultra-Orthodox (haredi) parties boycotting votes in the Knesset.
Societally, the issue of the haredi sect draft exemptions have been a sore point for years, but really came to a head when the law keeping the exemptions in place expired last June, pushing the coalition into an uncomfortable corner.
Haredi religious and political leaders would like to maintain the societal structure of the community, which would be eroded of a blanket draft law were enforced, but the heavy weight of service, especially in light of the Israel-Hamas War, has worn down reservists and their families, thrusting the issue to the forefront of the political table.
With fifth- and- sixth draft notices being served to reservists as the warning of a more intense ground operation in Gaza looms, a quiet but noticeable drop in soldiers and reservists has been noted.
Military and security officials have pressed the government to reach a solution that would increase manpower in the military, as a push will be made to advance it in the Knesset without pulling apart the coalition.