Israeli police clashed with thousands of Jewish ultra-Orthodox men in central Jerusalem on Sunday during a protest against a Supreme Court order for them to begin enlisting for military service.
The landmark decision last week could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition as Israel is engaged in war in Gaza.
Tens of thousands of men gathered in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood to protest the order. The protest turned violent as the crowd moved towards central Jerusalem after dark.
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Israeli police reported that protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox Cabinet minister. Water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and mounted police horses were used to disperse the crowd, but as of late Sunday, the situation was still not fully under control.
Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel, but the politically influential ultra-Orthodox parties have secured exemptions for their followers to study in religious seminaries instead.
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The ultra-Orthodox parties argue that forcing their men to serve in the army will jeopardize their traditional way of life. Earlier on Sunday, thousands of men gathered in a square for mass prayers, many holding signs denouncing the government’s decision.
The ultra-Orthodox parties are crucial members of Netanyahu’s coalition and could potentially trigger new elections if they choose to exit the government in protest.
Party leaders have not yet announced their intentions. However, leaving the government could be risky given the declining popularity of Netanyahu’s coalition since the start of the war on Oct.7.
