Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged calm on Wednesday (January 7, 2026) after a bus driver ran over and killed a teenage boy during a protest by thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators against a law seeking to draft them into Israel's military.
“I call for restraint to prevent the mood from becoming further inflamed so that, heaven forbid, we do not have additional tragedies,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a statement, adding that the death would be thoroughly investigated.
The incident on Tuesday (January 6) evening killed yeshiva student Yosef Eisenthal, who police said was 14. Video from the protest obtained by The Associated Press showed the boy being trapped under the vehicle while the driver continued to drive on for several metres as onlookers jostled and screamed.
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Police officers arrested and questioned the bus driver, who told investigators he was attacked by protesters before his vehicle hit the boy. Police said Wednesday (January 7) that the driver's arrest had been extended until January 15. He has not yet been charged.
