A conversation with Attorney Shlomo Hadad about the arrest of newlywed Yairi Lieberman
What should have been a short trip by a newly married couple to their sheva brachos turned into a traumatic ordeal when Military Police officers stopped their car, took the chasan into custody and transferred him to military detention. Within hours, word of the arrest spread through the chareidi community, sparking outrage and protests.
Chareidi askanim demanded his immediate release. Large demonstrations erupted in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh. The police responded with force, throwing stun grenades near demonstrators, and using batons and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The confrontation quickly escalated.
Ultimately, following considerable pressure, the IDF agreed to a compromise: Lieberman would be released and undertake to report to the draft office in a month.
Ami spoke with Attorney Shlomo Hadad, who represented Lieberman and has handled dozens of cases involving detained bnei yeshivah.
Let’s start with the arrest of a chasan during his sheva brachos. What exactly happened?
Yairi Lieberman is a baal teshuvah who lives in Modi’in. The story actually began with an attempted arrest while he was staying at his parents’ home. Word of the planned arrest leaked, and hundreds of people arrived from Modi’in Illit. Major demonstrations broke out, with protesters entering the building and confronting police forces. After discussions, the officers eventually left without arresting him.
But the Military Police didn’t give up. Some time later, while Lieberman was in a car with his kallah in Ramat Gan, officers approached and arrested him.
They confiscated his phone, and they also took his wife’s phone, leaving her unable to call anyone. She was hysterical. She watched her husband being taken away without understanding what was happening. She began calling the police, trying to find out where he had been taken and why. She had no idea where he was or what she was supposed to do. Eventually, it became clear that he had been transferred to the Military Police.
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