What Happened: Haredi demonstrators blocked a road near Meron on Aug. 8 after buses ran before Shabbat ended, leading to clashes and police intervention.
Footage: Video shows civilians pulling protesters aside to allow a bus through; Walla says this was the sixth straight week of Shabbat traffic blockades.
What’s Next: Maariv reports additional anti‑government protests are planned overnight in several northern towns, including Guma Junction, Kibbutz Eilon, Afula and Karmiel.
Several haredi (ultra‑Orthodox) demonstrators blocked a road near Meron on Saturday, August 8, 2026, protesting buses that began operating before the end of Shabbat, N12 reported.
Video published by N12 showed nearby civilians physically pulling some protesters aside in an effort to shepherd a bus through the demonstration. The footage circulated widely on social media and heightened tensions at the scene.
Walla reported that this marked the sixth consecutive week of haredi activists blocking traffic to oppose public transportation on Shabbat. The Israel Police moved to disperse the crowd, and secular counterprotesters reportedly arrived at the site as well.
Maariv said further demonstrations were expected in northern Israel on Saturday night; these gatherings were described as anti‑government protests rather than Shabbat‑related actions. Maariv named the locations expected to be affected: Guma Junction, Kibbutz Eilon, Afula, Kabri, Nahariya, Tzemach, Rosh Pina and Karmiel.
Authorities and local residents are bracing for additional demonstrations across the country as broader political unrest continues to drive protests on multiple fronts.
Sources: N12, Walla, Maariv
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