Ultra-Orthodox Jews block highway to protest mandatory military service ruling

Bnei Brak, Israel: Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men blocked a large road successful cardinal Israel for 2 hours to protestation a caller Supreme Court determination ordering young spiritual men to enlist for subject service.

Military work is compulsory for astir Jewish men and women successful Israel. But politically almighty ultra-Orthodox parties person won draught exemptions for their followers that let them alternatively to survey successful spiritual seminaries.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men artifact a road during a protestation against service recruitment successful Bnei Brak, Israel.Credit: AP

This long-standing statement has bred wide resentment among the broader nationalist – a sentiment that has grown stronger during the eight-month warfare against Hamas successful Gaza. Over 600 soldiers person been killed, and tens of thousands of reservists person been activated, straining careers, businesses and household lives.

Protesters sat connected the road and laic connected the crushed arsenic constabulary lifted them up and dragged them away. Officers mounted connected horseback charged into the crowd. Many demonstrators held signs and chanted “To prison! Not to the army!”

“We each came present for 1 goal, we bespeak the presumption of each the Orthodox public,” said a young man, identifying himself lone by his archetypal sanction Ozer. “All the Orthodox nationalist prefers to spell to situation and not to the army.”

The ultra-Orthodox spot their full-time spiritual survey arsenic their portion successful protecting the state. Many fearfulness that greater interaction with secular nine done the subject volition region adherents from strict observance of the faith.

Ultra Orthodox Jewish men locomotion during a objection against drafting into the Israeli army.Credit: Getty Images

Israel’s Supreme Court this week ordered the authorities to statesman drafting ultra-Orthodox men, saying the strategy of exemptions is unequal.

The determination could pb to the illness of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Ultra-Orthodox parties and their followers reason immoderate alteration successful the system.

The ultra-Orthodox marque up astir 13 per cent of Israel’s population. Under the country’s fragmented governmental system, they wield important governmental powerfulness and often service arsenic governmental kingmakers.

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The parties are cardinal members of Netanyahu’s governing conjugation and could perchance unit caller elections if they determine to permission the government.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders person not yet said whether they volition discontinue the government, but their followers person scheduled a ample protestation successful Jerusalem connected Sunday.

AP

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