Massive Protest in Jerusalem: Ultra-Orthodox Jews Rally Against Military Conscription Amid Coalition Crisis

Thousands of Ultra-Orthodox Jews mobilized in Jerusalem on Thursday, staging a massive demonstration against military conscription requirements.

The protesters, predominantly men in traditional black attire, converged in Israel's capital city to voice opposition to mandatory military service, an ongoing contentious issue that has created significant tension within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government.

The enormous gathering primarily protested the absence of legislation guaranteeing their exemption from Israel's compulsory military service, a commitment repeatedly promised by Netanyahu but not yet fulfilled.

Throughout Jerusalem, demonstrators set fire to tarpaulin pieces while hundreds of police officers established cordons across multiple city roads, according to AFP correspondents present at the scene.

Protesters carrying anti-conscription placards marched along Jerusalem's main thoroughfares, creating a powerful visual display of resistance.

This large-scale demonstration follows recent intensified enforcement against ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, with authorities issuing thousands of military service notices in recent months and imprisoning several individuals classified as deserters.

Since Israel's founding in 1948, when the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community represented only a small portion of the population, men dedicating themselves full-time to studying sacred Jewish texts have received de facto exemptions from military service.

However, this longstanding exemption has faced increasing scrutiny since the Gaza conflict erupted in October 2023, as Israel's military struggles with recruitment challenges.

The question of whether to eliminate this exemption has been a persistent source of division in Israeli society. Netanyahu has pledged his government would enact legislation formally establishing the exemption, yet has failed to deliver on this promise.

Responding to calls from two ultra-Orthodox political parties—one of which constitutes a crucial element of the governing coalition—men traveled from across Israel on Thursday to advocate for the continuation of their military service exemptions.

Police closed access roads to Jerusalem and deployed 2,000 officers throughout the city in anticipation of the protest.

In June 2024, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the government must draft ultra-Orthodox men, declaring their previous exemption had expired.

A parliamentary committee is currently deliberating on legislation expected to end blanket exemptions while encouraging young ultra-Orthodox men not engaged in full-time religious study to enlist in military service.

This contentious issue has placed Netanyahu's coalition—considered one of the most right-wing in Israel's history—under tremendous pressure.

Ministers from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party resigned from the cabinet in July over this issue, though the party has maintained its formal coalition membership.

Meanwhile, the United Torah Judaism party, another ultra-Orthodox political faction, has completely withdrawn from both the government and the coalition.

The Sephardic Shas party, which holds 11 seats in Israel's 120-member Knesset, has warned it will withdraw support unless military service exemptions are legally codified—a development that could potentially collapse Netanyahu's fragile coalition, which currently commands just 60 seats.

While some ultra-Orthodox rabbinical authorities fear military service might diminish religious observance among younger community members, others acknowledge that individuals not engaged in full-time religious study could reasonably fulfill military obligations.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews constitute approximately 14 percent of Israel's Jewish population—around 1.3 million people—with roughly 66,000 men of military age currently benefiting from the service exemption.

According to a military report presented to parliament in September, despite opposition from community leaders, there has been a notable increase in ultra-Orthodox enlistment in recent years. Nevertheless, the overall numbers remain relatively low, with only a few hundred joining military service over the past two years.