In Israel, thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protested against mandatory military service. According to local media reports, violent clashes with police broke out in Jerusalem last night. The emergency services tried to disperse the demonstrators dressed in black suits with the help of mounted officers and a water cannon. Police officers were attacked and stones were thrown at them. Five rioters were arrested.
The protests were sparked by a recent ruling by the country’s highest court that now requires ultra-Orthodox men to perform military service. The verdict is seen as a setback for the right-wing religious government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
State subsidies for ultra-Orthodox students are abolished
For decades, ultra-Orthodox men in Israel were exempt from compulsory military service. But these expired three months ago. Netanyahu’s government failed to pass a law that would have strengthened the relief measures. The Supreme Court subsequently ordered the elimination of state subsidies for ultra-Orthodox men of military age who study at religious schools.
So far, 63,000 men have been exempted from military service
In late March, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara also ruled that the army was obliged to appoint religious students, who had previously been largely exempt from military service. According to the court, this amounts to 63,000 men. The army recently warned urgently of a drastic shortage of combat soldiers in view of the Gaza war. Moreover, many Israelis consider it unfair that ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from military service and dangerous combat missions.
Source: Krone
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