Mass protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews over army conscription break out in Israel
In Israel, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets to protest against the decision to introduce mandatory military service.
Protesters blocked the streets of Jerusalem and several other cities, demanding that the government reverse a court ruling that obliges all citizens, including religious ones, to perform military service.
Cancellation of privileges for religious communities caused a wave of outrage in the country
The protesters claimed that the draft contradicts their religious beliefs and destroys their traditional way of life, which is based on yeshiva education. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, and several participants were detained.
Background to the decision
For decades, ultra-Orthodox Jews had been exempt from military service, but in 2024, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled to abolish this exemption, recognising it as discriminatory against the rest of the population.
Since then, the government has been seeking a compromise between complying with the court ruling and avoiding a social split, but no agreement has been reached.
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