"This is the spirit of the commander—no shame, no respect for Judaism or its rabbis. The commander of the Haredi police unit and Border Police officers are attacking rabbis and demonstrators with batons."

The Haredi police unit is an Israeli Police unit specifically created to work within ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) communities. Commonly referred to as the Haredi liaison / Haredi unit (sometimes called Shahar units in the past). It is not a separate police force, but a specialized framework within the Israeli Police. Officers are often Haredi or religiously observant, or trained to operate in Haredi neighborhoods. Haredi communities have distinct religious norms, sensitivities (gender separation, modesty, Sabbath observance), and a long history of distrust toward state authorities. Thus, the unit’s stated goal is to reduce friction between police and Haredi communities, improve communication and enforcement “with cultural sensitivity” but also handle protests, crowd control, and policing in Haredi areas. It is controversial because during anti-conscription protests, the unit is often deployed against Haredi demonstrators as a form of internal coercion. Critics argue the unit sometimes acts more harshly to prove loyalty to command. In large demonstrations, the Haredi unit often operates alongside Magav (Border Police), who are a paramilitary force used for riot control. So, the Haredi police unit is meant to be a bridge between the state and ultra-Orthodox communities, but during protests—especially over conscription—it is often perceived as an instrument of repression rather than mediation.