On Wednesday, clashes erupted between Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews and Israeli police near an army recruitment office in West Jerusalem, as protesters gathered to oppose military conscription. The demonstration, which saw protesters blocking a street near the military base, quickly escalated into confrontations with police attempting to clear the area.
Video footage circulating on Israeli social media platforms captured the tense scene, with demonstrators obstructing traffic and one protester likening the police to “Nazis.” In response, Israeli police declared the protest illegal and resorted to force to disperse the crowd and clear the roads.
The protest underscores the deep-rooted resistance within the ultra-Orthodox community to mandatory military service. Despite thousands of Haredi Jews being called up for conscription, only a small number have complied, according to official figures.
This low participation rate highlights the ongoing defiance among ultra-Orthodox Jews toward Israel’s compulsory military service.
The clashes come at a time when the Israeli military is grappling with a personnel shortage, exacerbated by its ongoing operations in Gaza since October 2023, as well as military raids in the West Bank and cross-border tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon. In June, Israel’s Supreme Court issued a ruling requiring the conscription of Haredi Jews into the army and prohibiting financial support for religious institutions whose students refuse military service.
Haredi Jews, who constitute about 13% of Israel’s population of 9.9 million, have traditionally focused on religious study, often opting out of military service. While Israeli law mandates military service for all citizens over the age of 18, the longstanding exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews has been a point of contention in Israeli society for decades. The latest clashes reflect the ongoing friction between the state’s military obligations and the religious convictions of the Haredi community.
