Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis converged in Jerusalem on Thursday for a massive demonstration. Their protest was aimed at thwarting attempts to draft some members of their community into the military, an issue poised to exacerbate deep divisions within a nation already grappling with two years of continuous conflict.
This powerful display of dissent emerged as the Israeli government seeks a legal and political solution to abolish the long-standing exemption from military service enjoyed by most ultra-Orthodox religious students.
This privilege has fueled widespread public resentment for decades, intensifying significantly since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. That event sparked ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, leading to the deaths of hundreds of soldiers and multiple tours of duty for tens of thousands of reservists.
In Israel, military service is mandatory for most Jewish individuals aged 18, including both men and women.
A military exemption for ultra-Orthodox religious students has long been a source of widespread public frustration.
Last year, Israel’s Supreme Court declared that there was no legal justification for these military exemptions. The court mandated that without new legislation, the army must commence drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men.
The military has indicated a need for an additional 12,000 soldiers to meet its operational requirements. Currently, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men eligible for conscription do not serve.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political stability heavily depends on the backing of ultra-Orthodox parties. His government is now drafting a bill designed to partially meet the military’s demands while also preserving his right-wing, religiously conservative coalition.
Critics argue that the proposed legislation would largely allow ultra-Orthodox Israelis to continue avoiding military service, citing low enlistment quotas and insufficient, delayed penalties for non-compliance.
Demonstrators were seen burning posters during the protests in Jerusalem on Thursday.
Leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community, also known as Haredim (meaning ‘those who tremble before God’ in Hebrew), promoted Thursday’s event as a ‘march of the million’ and a prayer vigil, emphasizing its religious nature over a typical protest.
The massive gathering was scheduled to take place near Jerusalem’s western entrance, with significant disruptions anticipated across the city and surrounding areas. A substantial portion of the primary Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway was closed in both directions, allowing only buses transporting demonstrators. The city’s train station, also located near the western entrance, was expected to cease operations.
When Israel was founded in 1948, its leaders granted Haredi seminary students exemptions from military service. This decision was partly motivated by a desire to restore Torah scholarship, which had been severely diminished during the Holocaust.
Initially, only a few hundred students benefited from this exemption. However, the Haredim community has grown considerably, now constituting at least 13 percent of Israel’s 10 million residents.