[Discussion] Ultra-Orthodox Protest in Jerusalem Intensifies Fight Over Military Draft Reform

[Uncrowned Guard]

Massive Ultra-Orthodox Protest in Jerusalem Highlights Deepening Rift Over Military Conscription

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men flooded the streets of Jerusalem on Thursday, voicing fierce opposition to proposed changes in Israel's longstanding military service exemptions for their community. The colossal rally, marked by fervent protest and collective prayer, underscores a growing national debate that threatens to destabilize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s already fragile governing coalition.

Growing Tensions Amid Changing Legal Landscape

The demonstration comes in the wake of heightened government scrutiny and legal action against ultra-Orthodox draft evasion. For decades, full-time religious scholars have been excused from compulsory service—an arrangement rooted in Israel’s earliest years, when the ultra-Orthodox population was far smaller. However, with the ongoing conflict in Gaza stretching the Israel Defense Forces’ resources, many secular Israelis are demanding greater participation from the ultra-Orthodox sector.

Tensions escalated further in June 2024 when Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that longstanding exemptions must expire, mandating the drafting of ultra-Orthodox men. This move triggered swift backlash among religious leaders and sparked the latest mass protest. Many demonstrators displayed banners and chanted slogans such as “Better to go to prison than to the army,” emphasizing their determination to resist conscription on religious grounds.

Deadly Incident Amid Strong Police Presence

As crowds amassed on rooftops, petrol stations, and balconies, a heavy police presence attempted to maintain public order—cordoning off parts of the city and deploying some 2,000 officers. A somber note was struck after a man tragically died from a fall during the rally, police confirmed.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in collective prayers, with helicopters hovering overhead. Rabbi Avraham Bismut of Beit Shemesh reflected a sentiment echoed by many, accusing government authorities of persecuting Torah scholars. 

Coalition Strains and Political Fallout

The battle over military conscription has intensified fractures within Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition. The ultra-Orthodox Shas party, holding 11 Knesset seats, has threatened to withdraw support if exemptions are not legally secured, a move that could topple a government currently clinging to a minimal parliamentary majority. United Torah Judaism, another key ultra-Orthodox ally, has already exited the coalition. Opposition leaders have seized on the crisis, with Avigdor Liberman calling the protest “a spit in the face of our heroic soldiers.”

Historically, the exemption debate has been a flashpoint in Israeli politics. Some ultra-Orthodox rabbis argue conscription erodes religious identity, while others agree that those not devoted to full-time study could serve. Despite recent reports of rising enlistment within the community, the numbers remain modest, with only a few hundred joining over the past two years, according to military data.

What’s Next for Conscription Reform?

As parliamentary committees debate new legislation to end blanket ultra-Orthodox exemptions, the outcome could reshape the relationship between religion and state in Israel. Ultra-Orthodox Jews now make up 14 percent of Israel’s Jewish population, with around 66,000 men currently benefitting from conscription waivers. The coming months may prove decisive: a new law could trigger political upheaval or usher in a new era of shared military burden.

With both societal and coalition pressures mounting, Israel faces difficult questions about the nature of civic duty, minority rights, and the future of its mandatory conscription system. The fervor on display in Jerusalem suggests this debate is far from over.

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