Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters block road near northern army base
Young ultra-Orthodox men clash with law enforcement as protest turns violent, with abusive slogans shouted at police and soldiers stationed at the base
Hundreds of young people from the ultra-Orthodox community demonstrated Wednesday near the Michve Alon army base, rallying against draft orders sent to yeshiva students, who were long exempt from military service.
The demonstration turned violent, with 12 protesters arrested as they clashed with law enforcement. They also blocked Route 65 on the way to the base earlier in the morning.
The police said they had been "deployed since the morning hours at several locations in the North District due to an illegal protest. Hundreds of protesters arrived, blocked traffic routes, and set fire near the fences of an IDF base in the north. The protesters confronted the police, blocked the roads while resorting to violence, throwing objects, and hurling insults towards the police and the soldiers who were on site, fulfilling their duty.
"After a police officer declared an unlawful demonstration and despite the warnings, the protestors ignored the police and continued with violent disturbances. So far, 12 suspects have been arrested on suspicion of disturbing public order, and even now disturbances continue at the scene, while the police are working to disperse the protestors from the base."
This demonstration was preceded by several protests in front of the recruitment office at Tel Hashomer, during which several arrests were made. Some protesters even broke into a military zone near the base.
Only 48 out of 900 ultra-Orthodox men who received a draft order actually arrived at the office, with many avoiding coming due to the protest. On September 9, the army is due to call up more ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students for duty.
The Israeli army has called for more troops to be recruited after the toll taken by reservists serving on and off since the October 7 attack on Israel. The Supreme Court supported the decision to rescind the longstanding policy of granting exemptions to students of yeshivot, or schools of advanced Jewish learning, amid the manpower deficit in the military.