Clashes in Jerusalem Over Military Service Protests
Violent clashes erupted in west Jerusalem on Thursday between Israeli police and hundreds of ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) Jewish protesters, injuring ten officers. The unrest, sparked by a fine issued for refusal of military service, led to stone-throwing and four arrests. Tensions have escalated since a 2024 Supreme Court ruling mandating military service for ultra-Orthodox men, with prominent rabbis urging draft rejection. Opposition lawmakers accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu of seeking to exempt Haredim from service to appease ultra-Orthodox parties.
