Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox plan huge anti-draft protest

-

Jerusalem was bracing on Sunday for a mass protest of ultra-Orthodox Jews enraged over plans to conscript their young men for military service.

Police said that "hundreds of thousands" were likely to attend the demonstration alongside the main road in and out of the city and that there would be major disruption to traffic.

"Police have completed security preparations for huge demonstration this afternoon at entrance of Jerusalem. Hundreds of thousands expected," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld wrote on Twitter.

He said that 3,500 police would be deployed to maintain public order.

The protests were sparked by cuts in government funding to Jewish theological seminaries, or yeshivas, and a planned crackdown on young ultra-Orthodox men seeking to avoid Israel's compulsory military draft.

The cabinet last year agreed to end a practice under which tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox were exempted from military service if they were in full-time yeshiva study.

While new legislation is so far incomplete, the authorities are hardening enforcement of existing law, which had previously been patchy, with many of the ultra-Orthodox formally exempted and a blind eye turned to many others.

MP Nissim Zeev, of the opposition ultra-Orthodox Shas party, said the new policy amounted to religious persecution.

"The aim (of the protest) is to send an unequivocal message to the government," he told public radio.

"Enough is enough, you must stop this persecution."

The protest and prayer meeting, called by leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis, was scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) and last for two hours, but the Jerusalem city council said roads in the area would close from 2:00 pm along with the central bus station.

"Main roads in Jerusalem and in and out of the city will remain closed until the evening," its website said.

"Public transport...will operate on a partial basis."

Military service is compulsory in Israel, with men serving three years and women two. Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up roughly 10 percent of the country's population of just over eight million.

Jerusalem was bracing on Sunday for a mass protest of ultra-Orthodox Jews enraged over plans to conscript their young men for military service.

Police said that “hundreds of thousands” were likely to attend the demonstration alongside the main road in and out of the city and that there would be major disruption to traffic.

“Police have completed security preparations for huge demonstration this afternoon at entrance of Jerusalem. Hundreds of thousands expected,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld wrote on Twitter.

He said that 3,500 police would be deployed to maintain public order.

The protests were sparked by cuts in government funding to Jewish theological seminaries, or yeshivas, and a planned crackdown on young ultra-Orthodox men seeking to avoid Israel’s compulsory military draft.

The cabinet last year agreed to end a practice under which tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox were exempted from military service if they were in full-time yeshiva study.

While new legislation is so far incomplete, the authorities are hardening enforcement of existing law, which had previously been patchy, with many of the ultra-Orthodox formally exempted and a blind eye turned to many others.

MP Nissim Zeev, of the opposition ultra-Orthodox Shas party, said the new policy amounted to religious persecution.

“The aim (of the protest) is to send an unequivocal message to the government,” he told public radio.

“Enough is enough, you must stop this persecution.”

The protest and prayer meeting, called by leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis, was scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) and last for two hours, but the Jerusalem city council said roads in the area would close from 2:00 pm along with the central bus station.

“Main roads in Jerusalem and in and out of the city will remain closed until the evening,” its website said.

“Public transport…will operate on a partial basis.”

Military service is compulsory in Israel, with men serving three years and women two. Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up roughly 10 percent of the country’s population of just over eight million.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

Life

Their stories are divided into before and after.

Social Media

Wanna buy some ignorance? You’re in luck.

Tech & Science

Under new legislation that passed the House of Representatives last week, TikTok could be banned in the United States.

Life

Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest often suggest travel destinations based on your likes and viewing habits.