JERUSALEM – A group of Jewish ultra-Orthodox anti-conscription protesters on April 28 stormed the home of Israel’s military police chief, barricading themselves in his garden in protest over moves to punish those who refuse to answer conscription call-ups.
The move came after Israel’s High Court of Justice on April 26 ordered the state to cut financial benefits to ultra-Orthodox Jews who dodge being drafted and to start criminal proceedings against them.
The protest drew furious condemnation from the top brass of the military and the political establishment.
Footage on social media appeared to show scores of chanting ultra-Orthodox men inside the garden of military police chief Brigadier-General Yuval Yamin in Ashkelon, who was holed up inside with his family, according to Israeli media reports.
“I strongly condemn the brutal and violent attack against the head of the military police and demand firm action be taken against those involved,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Defence Minister Israel Katz denounced the “deliberate break-in” at Brig-Gen Yamin’s home “while his family members were present in the house”, saying any attempt to harm members of the security forces was “crossing a red line”.
There is a long-standing exemption from compulsory national service for ultra-Orthodox men who engage in full-time religious study, which dates back to Israel’s founding in 1948.
However, the Supreme Court has repeatedly challenged the exemption in recent years, culminating in a 2024 ruling that the government must conscript ultra-Orthodox men.
Mr Netanyahu, however, relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties to sustain his government and so has fought efforts to end the exemption.
With the latest ruling on April 26, the court is effectively ordering the removal of subsidies granted to the ultra-Orthodox that give them reduced rates for local taxes, public transport and childcare. AFP
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