Mass protest in Jerusalem over draft plan

Hundreds of thousands of ultra‑Orthodox Jewish demonstrators converged on Jerusalem’s main entrance in a massive protest against plans to extend mandatory military service to their community, blocking routes and bringing traffic and public transport to a standstill. Organizers and media estimated the crowd at about 200,000, with participants—mostly men in traditional dress—filling roads, climbing onto roofs, a gas station and cranes, and staging a largely non‑violent show of resistance that required deployment of more than 2,000 police officers.

The rally turned tragic when a 15‑year‑old boy fell and died during the demonstration; emergency services confirmed the fatality and police launched an investigation. Protesters carried signs and chanted slogans opposing the draft, with some declaring a preference for prison over army service. Officials said the demonstration represented one of the largest and most disruptive displays of opposition to conscription in recent memory.

The standoff reflects a long‑running fault line in Israeli society over the exemption historically granted to ultra‑Orthodox yeshiva students, who make up about 13% of the population and argue that full‑time Torah study constitutes their national service. Tensions have escalated following a Supreme Court ruling that such exemptions are unlawful and recent arrests of young ultra‑Orthodox men who refused draft orders. Secular Israelis, grappling with high military casualties amid multiple fronts of conflict, increasingly view continued exemptions as an unfair burden on those who serve.

The political stakes are high: forcing enlistment or removing exemptions risks fracturing the ruling coalition, where ultra‑Orthodox parties hold leverage, and could trigger early elections. Lawmakers have struggled to craft a conscription bill acceptable both to religious leaders and to defence authorities seeking more recruits. Ultra‑Orthodox leaders warn that compulsory service would erode religious life by drawing young men away from seminaries; supporters of the draft argue national service must be shared equitably.

As the demonstration dispersed, the episode underscored the difficulty of reconciling demands for social fairness and military necessity with protections for religious practice. The government faces mounting pressure to produce a legislative solution that balances equal service obligations, religious freedoms and coalition stability, while managing public anger on both sides of the debate.