Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis convened in Jerusalem on Thursday for a massive demonstration. Their aim: to protest ongoing efforts to conscript some members into the military. This significant show of opposition is expected to exacerbate existing divisions within a nation grappling with the aftermath of two years of conflict.
This large-scale gathering unfolds as the Israeli government seeks a viable legal and political solution to a decades-old practice, which currently grants most ultra-Orthodox seminary students exemptions from compulsory military service.
This historical privilege has long been a source of widespread public frustration. However, that discontent has intensified dramatically since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, an event that triggered conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon. These wars have seen hundreds of soldiers lose their lives and tens of thousands of reservists undertake multiple tours of duty.
In Israel, military service is mandatory for most Jewish 18-year-olds, encompassing both men and women.
Last year, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that there was no legal basis for these military exemptions. The court stated that, in the absence of new legislation, the army must proceed with drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men.
The military has indicated a need for an additional 12,000 soldiers to adequately staff its ranks. Currently, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men of draft age do not serve.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued political power has long depended on the unwavering support of ultra-Orthodox parties. His government is currently drafting a bill designed to partially meet the military’s personnel requirements while simultaneously striving to preserve Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing, religiously conservative coalition.
Critics argue that the proposed legislation falls short, contending it would largely enable most ultra-Orthodox Israelis to continue avoiding conscription. They point to low enlistment quotas and minimal, delayed penalties for those who do not comply.
Leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community, known in Hebrew as the Haredim (meaning “those who tremble before God”), have branded Thursday’s event a “march of the million.” They have framed it as a prayer vigil rather than a conventional protest.
The demonstration is planned around the western entrance to Jerusalem, an area anticipated to experience substantial traffic disruptions across the city and beyond. A significant portion of the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway was closed in both directions, restricted solely to buses transporting demonstrators. The city’s train station, conveniently located near the western entrance, was also slated for closure.
When modern Israel was established in 1948, its founders initially exempted Haredi seminary students from military service. This decision was partly an effort to rebuild the ranks of Torah scholarship, which had been devastated during the Holocaust.
At that time, only a few hundred such students existed. Today, however, the Haredim constitute at least 13 percent of Israel’s population of 10 million.