40 Chabad Bochurim Released Following Arrests at Ben Gurion Airport

Following the detention of 42 Chabad yeshiva students returning from their year of study at the Central Chabad Yeshiva at 770, 40 of the bochurim have reportedly been released and returned home.

Forty Chabad bochurim who were detained Tuesday morning at Ben Gurion Airport upon returning to Israel from their year of learning at the Central Chabad Yeshiva at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights have been released and returned to their families, according to an update received later in the day.

The development follows a day of uncertainty after Israeli military police detained 42 bochurim, approximately 20 years old, over their unresolved military draft status.

Earlier, the IDF announced that 27 of the detained students had expressed willingness to enlist and were found eligible for military service. They received suspended sentences and were released, with plans to begin the formal enlistment process in the coming weeks.

According to the IDF, another 13 students who declined to cooperate with the enlistment process were sent to military prison. Two additional students were also ordered imprisoned after authorities determined that their draft evasion period exceeded 540 days.

The arrests occurred as approximately 80 Chabad bochurim arrived in Israel following their year of Kevutza at 770. Military police detained 42 of them and confiscated their passports over their military status.

In a statement issued earlier Tuesday, the IDF said the arrests were part of its ongoing enforcement of Israel’s military service law.

“The IDF will continue to work toward equal enforcement of the Security Service Law and fulfillment of the obligation to serve,” the military stated.

However, in a significant update later Tuesday, it was reported that 40 of the 42 detained students had been released and returned home.

The circumstances surrounding the additional releases were not immediately clarified, nor was the status of the two remaining students.

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