Large-scale protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem: Conflict Over Mandatory Military Conscription

In Jerusalem, ultra-Orthodox Jews have organized mass protests, blocking the city’s key transportation routes to express their opposition to mandatory military conscription. The situation in the city remains tense: protesters are ignoring police orders, and the government is preparing harsh measures against draft dodgers, according to Anadolu Ajansı.

The standoff escalated following a decision by the Israeli Supreme Court in June 2024. The court ruled that members of the ultra-Orthodox community, which makes up about 13% of the country’s population, are required to perform military service on an equal footing with other citizens. In response to religious school students’ refusal to report for duty, the authorities cut off state funding for those educational institutions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized during a closed-door meeting that previous methods aimed at delaying arrests had failed to address the personnel shortage in the army. The prime minister expressed his intention to pass a new law after the elections that would impose prison sentences on anyone who refuses to serve and is not engaged in Torah study. At present, the police continue to detain protesters: in just a few days, more than 60 protesters were detained in Jerusalem.