Ultra-Orthodox Jews clash with police over military draft in Israel

Several hundred ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) clashed with Israeli police at the entrance to the army base in Tel Hashomer. This is where the first draftees from this community were supposed to report on Monday. Previously, they had been exempt from service for years; now, they are speaking of a "Holocaust of ultra-Orthodox Jews."

At the end of June, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that there is no legal basis for continuing the practice of exempting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from mandatory military service. The court ordered the government to begin drafting them into the army.

In response to this ruling, the military sent preliminary notices to 900 men, who were supposed to report on Monday and Tuesday in Tel Hashomer to begin the recruitment process. The first stage of recruitment includes medical examinations, psychological tests, and an interview with commanders. The military anticipates that only 30% of the summoned men will report for service.

Many rabbis have called young men to ignore the summons and not attend the military commissions. Some have even called for protests aimed at disrupting the recruitment process. The ultra-Orthodox argue that military service conflicts with their lifestyle and fear that conscription may lead young men away from their faith.

On leaflets and posters distributed in neighborhoods inhabited by the haredim, it was stated that since the establishment of Israel, there has never been such "a terrible Holocaust of young ultra-Orthodox Jews in the Holy Land," reports the newspaper "Haaretz."

During Monday's protest, the Haredim also attacked journalists covering the events. Merav Seewer from the newspaper "Israel Hayom" described how she was pelted with various objects. After the police declared the ultra-Orthodox gathering illegal, riots ensued. Several people were detained, and police officers on horseback intervened on site.

The issue of military service for the Haredim is one of the most controversial topics in Israel. Most Israeli Jews support ending the collective exemption from military service for this community. However, it has been impossible for decades to implement consistent laws and practices in this area. This issue also divides the government, which includes religious parties opposed to drafting Haredim. Israel has been at war in the Gaza Strip for almost 10 months, with more than 300,000 reservists called to active duty, which reinforces the feeling that the special treatment of the Haredim is not fair.