The protesters chanted slogans including “We will die and not join the army,” “Nazis,” and “To prison, not to the army.” Some of them rioted and tried to break through police barriers, who confronted them with water cannons and mounted officers in an attempt to control the protest.
Only a minority of yeshiva students who had previously been exempted and received a draft call-up have gone to the offices, amid strong opposition to the decision from most ultra-Orthodox leaders, who fear that military service will secularize them.
It is noteworthy that nearly 66 thousand religious young men were exempted from military service during the past year, which is a record number, especially in light of the state of war that Israel is experiencing, and the multiple fronts it is dealing with.
On July 29, the Israeli army issued summons orders to 1,000 Haredim, after the country’s Supreme Court decided to oblige this group to enlist in the army, and to prevent financial aid from religious institutions whose students refuse military service.
Military service is mandatory for Jewish men and women in Israel, while religious people are exempted, in order to devote themselves to studying in religious institutes and preserving the identity of the people.
The Haredim, who adhere to a strict interpretation of Jewish law and live in isolated communities, say their study of the Torah is as much about protecting the country as military service.
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2024-08-21 21:14:56
