In Israel, thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protested against the court-imposed obligation to serve in the Israeli army. According to local media reports, violent clashes broke out in Jerusalem last night the police. Emergency services tried to disperse the black-suited protesters using mounted officers and a water cannon. Police officers were attacked and stones were thrown at them. Five rioters were arrested.
The protests were sparked by a recent ruling by the country’s highest court that now requires ultra-Orthodox men to perform military service. The verdict is seen as a setback for the right-wing religious government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Exempt students are also called up
For decades, there were exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service in Israel. But these expired three months ago. Netanyahu’s government failed to pass a law that would strengthen aid measures. The top court then ordered the elimination of state subsidies for ultra-Orthodox military-age men studying at religious schools.
In late March, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara also ruled that the army was obliged to appoint religious students, who had previously been largely exempt from military service. According to the court, this amounts to 63,000 men. The army recently warned urgently of a drastic shortage of combat soldiers in view of the Gaza war. Moreover, many Israelis consider it unfair that ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from military service and dangerous combat missions.