An undercover police operation in the predominantly haredi neighborhood of Meah Sharim in Jerusalem nabbed eight anti-Zionist extremists who assaulted an officer disguised as a haredi soldier on Thursday.

The operation was conducted following a wave of harassment and threats of physical violence against haredi soldiers by extremist groups opposed to the enlistment of haredi men into the IDF.

During the course of the operation, one officer wearing an IDF uniform walked down Meah Sharim Street in the capital as bait to lure out the extremists responsible for the recent rash of attacks against and harassment of religious soldiers in the area.

Within minutes a crowd had formed on the scene, and a number of extremists began attacking the undercover officer, throwing objects at him, spitting on him, and cursing him.

Plainclothes officers monitoring the undercover operation intervened, arresting eight individuals who had attacked the disguised officer or had attempted to prevent the officers from arresting the attackers.