Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) yeshiva student Yaari Lieberman, who married just days earlier, was arrested by IDF Military Police in front of his wife on Sunday while the couple was on their way to a family celebration marking their wedding.
Lieberman was transferred to a military prison and sentenced to 20 days in jail by a military court, sparking outrage among senior haredi political figures who demanded his immediate release.
The incident is expected to trigger violent demonstrations in the coming days.
The arrest took place as the newlyweds got off a bus on their way to a Sheva Brachot celebration, one of the festive meals traditionally held in honor of Jewish couples during the week following their wedding.
According to reports, the Military Police officers who arrived at the scene were in civilian clothes and not wearing identification badges.
The officers reportedly tracked Lieberman through his cellphone's location. It was also alleged that the officers did not identify themselves as Military Police to his wife, leaving her fearing that her husband had been kidnapped.
Lieberman was taken from the scene and transferred to a military prison.
Goldknopf blames Netanyahu for arrest of yeshiva student
Agudat Yisrael chairman MK Yitzhak Goldknopf strongly condemned the arrest, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of responsibility for the situation facing yeshiva students.
"The arrest of a young groom in front of his bride in the midst of the Sheva Brachot festival is a new low in the hunt against Torah scholars," Goldknopf said.
"The obsessive pursuit of yeshiva students, whose only sin is Torah study, has crossed every line of humanity and sensitivity. This shameful arrest is a disgrace to the Jewish state. I demand the groom's immediate release."
Goldknopf also directed his criticism at Netanyahu, accusing him of failing to fulfill his commitment to advance legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu has not been able to keep his promise to pass a law that will regulate the status of yeshiva students, and the result is the disgraceful arrests we are witnessing. The responsibility for this situation lies on his shoulders," he said.
United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher also appealed to the defense minister on Sunday, demanding that he intervene to secure Lieberman's immediate release.
"This is not a totalitarian state and not a police state. Arresting a son-in-law in the midst of his happy days is an opaqueness that knows no bounds. I demanded that the Defense Minister act for his immediate release and return him to his family and his happiness," Asher said.
Shas chairman MK Yinon Azoulay also moved to sign an urgent petition calling on the defense minister to secure the immediate release of the newlywed yeshiva student.
Previous arrest attempt thwarted by protesters
Sunday's arrest was not the first attempt by Military Police to detain Lieberman.
On October 6, Military Police arrived at his parents' home in Modi'in in an attempt to arrest him. However, they encountered resistance from protesters who gathered outside the residence.
Crowds assembled near the house and demonstrated against the attempted arrest. After approximately two hours, the protesters reportedly succeeded in preventing Lieberman from being taken into custody.
Fears of escalation as haredi opposition to IDF draft intensifies
Lieberman's arrest is expected to lead to violent demonstrations in the coming days, amid growing opposition within the haredi community to the arrest of yeshiva students as part of the enforcement of mandatory IDF draft.
The incident comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the military draft of ultra-Orthodox men and the absence of legislation regulating the military service status of yeshiva students.
While the defense establishment continues to enforce mandatory conscription requirements, representatives of the haredi parties are demanding legislation that would regulate the status of yeshiva students and prevent further arrests.