- February 15, 2026
- 6:34 pm
- Israel
On February 15, 2026, in Bnei Brak, a rumor about the appearance of military police triggered a chain reaction that within a few hours escalated into mass riots, arson, and a political storm.
According to the police, the crowd gathered after reports spread that they had allegedly arrived in the area to distribute draft notices. Hundreds of people were on the scene.
Later it turned out: it was not about conscription.
Two IDF female soldiers, who serve in the educational unit, arrived in the city and were heading to one of their wards as part of a social project.
How events unfolded on the street
Reality and rumor at some point completely diverged. The crowd was no longer checking the facts.
The soldiers were surrounded, and the police had to break through.
According to eyewitnesses, the girls found themselves in a tight circle. To get them out, the police had to use force.
During the riots, protesters overturned a patrol car and set a police motorcycle on fire.
One security officer was injured.
“You are not allowed to be here”
The soldiers themselves later said they tried to hide to avoid being beaten. According to them, at some point, they had to hide in trash bins.
One of the women from the crowd told them: “You are not allowed to be here.”
This was not happening on the front line or in a disputed area. It was happening in the center of the country.
As of the evening, about 40 participants in the riots were detained.
Police Chief Dani Levi called the incident “unbridled riots that crossed all boundaries.”
In the Israeli agenda, such formulations mean one thing: further steps will be tough.
That is why Nikk News — Israel News | Nikk.Agency carefully records not only the incident itself but also the reactions of politicians, because they determine how the state will act next.
Government reaction: from “red line” to demands for immediate arrests
Condemnation was heard from almost all sides of the political map. The tone differed, but there were almost no discrepancies in the assessment of the violence.
Coalition
Economy Minister Nir Barkat called the incident a severe and shameful crossing of the red line, a blow to mutual responsibility within the people.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch stated that it was a cruel and dangerous minority that does not represent society.
Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Boaz Bismuth demanded decisive action by law enforcement agencies and punishment of those involved to the fullest extent of the law.
Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized: those who raise a hand against soldiers and police officers commit a criminal offense.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir promised that the guilty “will pay a high price,” while noting that they do not represent the majority of the Haredi community.
Opposition
Opposition leader Yair Lapid demanded an immediate wave of arrests. According to him, every participant in the attack should end up in prison, and “enough of the anarchy.”
Chairman of “Kahol Lavan” Benny Gantz called the footage a moral low, emphasizing that what is happening has nothing to do with Judaism.
Head of the “Democrats” party Yair Golan placed responsibility on the Haredi leadership.
Leader of “Yashar!” Gadi Eisenkot reminded that it was the soldiers who helped Bnei Brak in the difficult days of COVID, and called the situation inverted.
Avigdor Lieberman characterized the incident as a national disgrace.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that a bright red line had been crossed and promised to restore governance to the country.
What representatives of ultra-Orthodox parties said
Importantly, harsh words were also heard from within the religious camp.
“This contradicts the path of the Torah”
Head of Shas Arieh Deri stated that the attack completely contradicts the values of the Torah and harms the Haredi society itself.
Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef called for public condemnation of the participants and their exclusion from the community.
Chairman of “Yahadut HaTorah” Yitzhak Goldknopf said he was shocked by the footage he saw.
Why this story goes beyond one city
Incidents around the topic of conscription have happened before. But the attack on female soldiers who arrived as part of an educational social mission changes the perception of what is happening.
This is no longer an ideological dispute.
It is a matter of basic safety for people in uniform on the streets of the country.
And the conclusions drawn after February 15, 2026, will determine whether such a scenario remains an exception — or becomes a new point of tension within Israeli society.
