BNEI BRAK, Israel (AP) — Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men blocked a major highway in central Israel for two hours on Thursday to protest a recent Supreme Court decision ordering young religious men to register for military service.
Military service is mandatory for most Jewish men and women in Israel. But politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have secured exemptions for their followers, allowing them to study in religious seminaries instead.
This long-standing arrangement has fueled widespread resentment among the general public — a sentiment that has grown stronger during the eight-month war against Hamas in Gaza. More than 600 soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands of reservists have been activated, putting pressure on careers, businesses and family lives.
Protesters sat on the highway and lay on the ground as police lifted them up and dragged them away. Officers on horseback charged into the crowd. Many protesters held signs and chanted, “Go to jail! Not for the military!”
“We all came here for one purpose: to reflect the position of the entire Orthodox public,” said a young man, who identified himself only by his first name, Ozer. “The entire Orthodox public would rather go to prison than to the army.”
The ultra-Orthodox see their full-time religious studies as their contribution to the protection of the state. Many fear that greater contact with secular society through the military will distance adherents from strict observance of the faith.
The Supreme Court this week ordered the government to draft ultra-Orthodox men into the military, saying the system of exemptions is unequal.
The decision could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Ultra-Orthodox parties and their supporters oppose any change in the system.
The ultra-Orthodox make up about 13% of Israel’s population. But under the country’s fragmented political system, they wield considerable political power and often serve as political kingpins.
The parties are key members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition and could force new elections if they decide to quit the government.
Ultra-Orthodox leaders have not yet said whether they will leave the government, but their followers have planned a large protest in Jerusalem on Sunday.
