Yisrael Frey, a far-left chareidi journalist whose inflammatory celebration of the deaths of five IDF soldiers sparked national outrage, was released to house arrest earlier today following a week of detention in a high-security prison. Frey, who had been held under the rare designation of a “security prisoner,” will remain confined to his home until at least Friday, according to police. Frey’s arrest followed a tweet in which he said, “The world is a better place” after five Israeli soldiers were killed by roadside bombs in Gaza. Four of the soldiers belonged to the Netzah Yehuda battalion, a unit composed largely of frum troops. “The world is a better place this morning,” Frey wrote, “without five young men who partook in one of the most brutal crimes against humanity.” He went on to say that “this is a call to every Israeli mother: Do not be the next to receive your son in a coffin as a war criminal. Refuse.” The tweet drew furious condemnation from across the political spectrum, with families of the fallen soldiers calling his remarks “inhuman” and “beyond the pale.” At the request of the prosecution, police sought to place Frey under full house arrest with unspecified “additional restrictions.” Details of those restrictions have not been made public. The decision to hold Frey in a security wing of the prison system was made by Israel Prison Service chief Kobi Yaakobi and received public backing from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has repeatedly pushed for harsher treatment of those accused of incitement during wartime. While critics argue that Frey’s arrest and detention signal a crackdown on free speech, supporters say his remarks crossed every line of decency — particularly at a time when the country is mourning its dead and IDF soldiers are risking their lives in Gaza. For now, Frey remains confined at home, under police surveillance and with his social media presence effectively silenced. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)