THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Enraged by arrests of draft evaders, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community is in revolt <p>Yeshiva students are blocking roads and breaking into police stations as Haredi parties hold coalition's legislative agenda hostage. PM said to be considering halting detentions</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/enraged-by-arrests-of-draft-evaders-israels-ultra-orthodox-community-is-in-revolt/">Enraged by arrests of draft evaders, Israel&#8217;s ultra-Orthodox community is in revolt</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com">The Times of Israel</a>.</p> <figure><img src="https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2026/06/F260617TG0014-1024x640.jpg" title="Enraged by arrests of draft evaders, Israel&#8217;s ultra-Orthodox community is in revolt" border="0" width="160" height="100" class="type:primaryImage"></figure>

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Protest Israel's Military Draft Amid War Tensions Reuters Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews staged protests across Israel against mandatory military service, blocking roads and railway lines. Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday, June 2, that the demonstrations caused major disruptions on highways and public transportation in Tel Aviv. According to the report, some protesters held signs condemning Israel, saying: “We would rather die as Jews than live as Zionists” and “We refuse to serve an army for the sake of the Zionist religion.” Military service in Israel is compulsory for most Jewish men and women, but powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have secured exemptions for their followers, allowing them to avoid service and instead study in religious seminaries. However, these exemptions are now under threat as the Israeli military remains engaged on multiple fronts. The Israeli army is reportedly facing a severe manpower shortage and is seeking to increase the number of recruits as well as extend the duration of compulsory military service. Join Lynne O’Donnell for 8AM’s podcast series, Insights.Lynne talks with generals, diplomats, soldiers, journalists, politician…

Are Haredim going to war with the government? - JFeed Loading... Gila Isaacson AUG 7, 2025 13:17 4 min read Ultra-Orthodox rabbis attend an emergency conference against the draft of yeshiva students, outside Jerusalem, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) An ultra-Orthodox newspaper ignited fresh controversy on Thursday with a front-page headline declaring "war" on the Israeli government, amid deepening divisions over haredi conscription into the IDF . The Yated Ne’eman, affiliated with the Lithuanian faction Degel Hatorah, part of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, featured the bold word "war" alongside the text: “When the country of Israel tramples over the red line, the predatory power will need to confront the world of Torah .” The provocative statement follows UTJ's mid-July exit from both the government and coalition, stemming from failed negotiations on a haredi draft law. It was triggered by the arrest of two yeshiva students for evading conscription, prompting leading haredi figure Rabbi Dov Landau to call an “emergency consultation meeting” at his home Wednesday evening. Last night, Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe Tzedakah held lengthy consultations, after which…

'It's a disgrace. Israelis have had enough': Amid ultra-Orthodox riots ... When an ultra-Orthodox mob attacked two women soldiers in the city of Bnei Brak earlier this week, Israelis were shocked and horrified. But forUri Keidar, CEO of Free Israel, this violent expression of ultra-Orthodox opposition to being drafted into the military did not come as a surprise. “It’s not the first violent occurrence we have seen, and unfortunately, it probably also won't be the last incident. But it's definitely a sad moment for us as a country,” Keidar said, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast. As the Netanyahu government continues to seek a way to pass legislation exempting tens of thousands of able-bodied ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service in order to preserve their political coalition, Keidar sees the country at a “historic” crossroads in which Israelis will stand up and refuse to let it happen. “It's a very basic idea, I think, that the law applies to everyone,” he said on the podcast. In a post-October 7 reality alongside the IDF in a manpower crisis, he said, “the Israeli public just will not accept the fact” that “there are tens of thousands of young haredi men who are to…

Israel's genocide in Gaza: Why are ultra-Orthodox Jews against ... Israel’s war on Gaza during the past two years, along with its assaults on the West Bank , Lebanon , Iran , Yemen , and Syria , has left its military overstretched. While most Jewish men and women are expected to serve at least two years in the army, one group has always been exempt - ultra-Orthodox Jews, also known as the Haredim. In June 2024, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled they could be conscripted, leading to mass opposition from the Haredim. Last month, hundreds of thousands of Haredi men filled Jerusalem with one of the largest ultra-Orthodox demonstrations in years. The opposition is bad for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who relies on ultra-Orthodox parties in his governing coalition. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Here, Middle East Eye explains how Haredi enlistment has polarised Israeli society – and what it could mean for the Israeli government. Who are the Haredim? Haredim is a Hebrew umbrella term for the most strictly observant groups within Judaism. In Hebrew, the…

Haredi anti-draft protest: 'The Chief of Staff is cursed, soldiers are ... Haredi anti-draft protest: 'The Chief of Staff is cursed, soldiers are dying' Severe rhetoric directed at IDF Chief of Staff and the military during a Bnei Brak protest against the draft led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. Defense Minister Israel Katz calls it a "grave incitement." Israel National News Jun 30, 2026, 2:08 AM (GMT+3) Bnei Brak haredim Draft Law Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef haredi protesters 1 minutes Hundreds of haredim gathered on Monday evening in Bnei Brak to participate in a protest rally against haredi enlistment led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, a member of the Shas Council of Torah Sages. Shas Knesset Members Yoav Ben-Tzur, Michael Malkieli, and Yonatan Mashriki also attended the event. Rabbi Aryeh Yazdi fiercely attacked IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, using harsh language and saying, "The cursed Chief of Staff, may his name and memory be blotted out. He sent a soldier to prison just because he put up a 'Messiah' patch. Do not fall into their trap. Do not enlist." Conversely, Rabbi Shabtai Levi, rabbi of the Ramat Aharon neighborhood in Bnei Brak, urged attendees "not to speak ill of any individual, not to r…

Ultra-Orthodox protesters clash with police in a Jerusalem neighborhood ... Israeli police officers scuffle with young Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters during a violent disturbance in Jerusalem, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters run for cover from a gas grenade thrown by Israeli police during a violent disturbance in Jerusalem, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) Israeli police shoot a water canon as they work to restore order during a violent disturbance by Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters in Jerusalem, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/ Mahmoud Illean) Israeli police officers work to restore order during a violent disturbance by Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters in Jerusalem, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/ Mahmoud Illean) Ultra Orthodox protesters clash with Israeli police during a violent disturbance in Jerusalem, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/ Mahmoud Illean) JERUSALEM (AP) — An attempt by Israeli authorities to write a routine parking ticket in anultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalemturned violent on Thursday as members of the community quickly gathered to protest, attacking and injuring 13 pol…

UTJ MK Porush warns, enforcement of ultra-Orthodox IDF Draft Law could ... Read this article in: MK Meir Porush during a hunger strike outside the Ministry of Justice in Jerusalem following the arrest of yeshiva students for refusing to enlist in the Israeli military, Aug. 7, 2025. (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) Ultra-Orthodox Knesset Member Meir Porush of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, which recently withdrew from the government, began a hunger strike last Thursday in Jerusalem, in front of the Office of Legal Advisor to Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara In recent conversations with Haredi news channel Kikar HaShabbat (Sabbath Square) and with the Religious Zionism party's Channel 7 News , MK Porush warned that the disputes over the ultra-Orthodox Draft Law may lead to a civil war. Porush explained his decision to protest outside Baharav-Miara's office, saying, “I’m not getting into an argument with her.” “The attorney general says there is a plan for 35% of the Haredi public to be combatants, that's her judgment,” Porush continued “How many of those 84,000 who were sent orders came? No one came. That means they want to fight with the Haredi public.” He noted th…

Why do so many ultra-Orthodox Jews refuse to serve in the Israeli army ... Read this article in: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block a road and clash with police during a protest against the jailing of yeshiva students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, at Ganot junction near Tel Aviv, June 11, 2026. (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) The refusal of many ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Israelis to serve in the IDF is a well-known but little-understood phenomenon. What is it in their belief system that makes sharing the burden of defending their country so unconscionable? With war simmering down somewhat, Israel is returning to internal fighting, or at least it seems that’s what the Haredi community has decided. In several major demonstrations against the compulsory military service, the main arteries into Jerusalem have been blocked, with protesters even bringing roads and railways to a halt, causing enormous disruption. Those affected have been furious, not least because the cause seems so unreasonable to most Israelis, and comments expressing anger and vitriol have flooded social media. Haredim seem to be shirking their duty while everyone else carries the burden of defending…

Enraged by arrests of draft evaders, Israel's ultra-Orthodox ... - QOSHE Angered by government efforts to detain draft evaders, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community has risen in revolt in recent weeks, threatening to derail Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legislative agenda while simultaneously bringing chaos to the country’s streets through a series of increasingly violent demonstrations. The arrests ramped up last month after police announced that they would begin detaining draft evaders they had previously allowed to go free, in line with a recent court ruling. Over the past two years, the military has sent out tens of thousands of enlistment orders to members of the ultra-Orthodox community whose exemptions from mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces were revoked under a 2024 High Court ruling. Most have ignored the orders, leading to large numbers of young men being classified as evaders and made subject to arrest or other sanctions. Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged between 18 and 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted, despite a persistent IDF manpower shortage. The police’s decision to ramp up enforcement came only d…

A Haredi autonomy has emerged in the heart of Israel - JNS.org Riots by Haredi extremists over the presence of female soldiers in Bnei Brak are a distilled reflection of the gaping chasm between the State of Israel and the Haredi autonomy that has grown within its very heart. This is yet another expression of a head-on collision between the State of Israel—whose citizens, for the most part, serve in the army, carry the tax burden and have buried their dead throughout the war—and a community that lives as an autonomy of its own design in every value-based and practical sense. Except, of course, when it comes to utilizing the state’s resources and budgets. These events are the direct result of a Haredi worldview that sees the State of Israel as just a tool for strengthening and preserving the Haredi ghetto. This is the worldview that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Knesset member Boaz Bismuth seek to enshrine in law through the draft-evasion bill they are advancing in the Knesset. In the heart of Israel, there is a Haredi extraterritorial zone. One statement—nothing less than astonishing—illustrates this. While trash bins on Bnei Brak’s streets were burning and poli…

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews protest military draft in ... The politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have won exemptions for their followers to forgo military service and instead study in religious seminaries. But with Israel having to maintain simultaneous military presence in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, in addition to fighting a war with Iran, the country is facing a shortage of soldiers. Exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox are now under threat. (AP Video/Alon Bernstein) Israeli mounted police disperse Ultra-Orthodox Jews blocking a road during a protest against army draft in Jerusalem, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Israeli mounted police disperse Ultra-Orthodox Jews blocking a road during a protest against army draft in Jerusalem, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox demonstrated across Israel on Monday, blocking roads and trains and setting cars on fire to protestmandatory enlistmentin Israel’s military. Israel’s police said demonstrators blocked major intersections and attacked a soldier who disembarked from a bus near a protest. Police struggled to control the crowds with wat…

Video. Mass protest by ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel over army conscription No Comment Video. Mass protest by ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel over army conscription Copy/paste the link below: Copy Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copy Updated: 18/06/2026 - 10:36 GMT+2 Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews protest near Netanya against mandatory army service, demanding release of draft refusers amid Israel’s wartime strains. … More Israel witnessed a large demonstration on 17 June as thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered outside Prison 10 at the Beit Lid military base near Netanya. Protesters opposed mandatory military enlistment and demanded the release of men detained for refusing to serve. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The rally comes as Israel faces growing military demands across several fronts, making the question of conscription increasingly significant for the government, the armed forces and the wider public. Security forces deployed near the prison, including a water cannon vehicle, while demonstrators crowded the entrance of the detention facility. The dispute centres on long-standing exemptions granted to full-time religious students, a po…

Conscription Crisis in Israel Escalates From Legal Dispute to Violent ... Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men clash with police officers as they block a main highway during a demonstration against drafting into the Israeli military on Dec. 28, 2025 in Bnei Brak, Israel. (Amir Levy/Getty Images) Conscription Crisis in Israel Escalates From Legal Dispute to Violent Street Confrontation Giorgia Valente 02/16/2026 Growing demographic pressure, political friction, and enforcement measures transform a longstanding exemption debate into public unrest Police and protesters clashed in Bnei Brak on Sunday after efforts to detain draft-eligible yeshiva students set off hours of unrest in the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) city east of Ramat Gan. Witnesses described large crowds blocking major roads, setting trash bins on fire, and confronting officers as police moved to disperse what authorities said had become an unlawful gathering. Video carried by Israeli media showed mounted police and riot units pushing into dense groups of demonstrators as projectiles were thrown and several arrests were made. The confrontation came after weeks of rising tension over the enforcement of conscription orders, with protest…