Dozens of ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters broke into an Israeli military base near Tel Aviv on Tuesday, the military said, as demonstrations continued against the mandatory military service for Jews, who were previously exempt from military service.
The demonstrations, which come as Israel braces for a missile attack from Iran, underscore the deep divisions that have widened in Israeli society 10 months since the start of the war on Gaza.
The military also condemned the incident at the Tel Hashomer base after protesters managed to break in before being detained by police.
“Breaking into a military base is a serious and unlawful offense. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) condemns this violent behavior and demands that the protesters be brought to justice,” the military said in a statement.
Video footage shared by Israeli police showed dozens of men in traditional black suits and hats typical of the ultra-Orthodox community confronting a line of police outside the base.
Israel's Supreme Court in June ordered the government to end the exemption and recruit ultra-Orthodox Haredi seminary students into the military, over strong objections from the public and religious parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.
The first summons letters were sent out about two weeks ago and the recruits had to report to recruitment centers.
Exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews date back to the early days of the state of Israel. When the first prime minister, Socialist David Ben-Gurion, exempted some 400 students from military service so that they could devote themselves to religious studies, Ben-Gurion hoped to preserve sacred knowledge and traditions that had been nearly wiped out in the Nazi Holocaust.
At the time, the Haredim were a small minority, but exclusion has become increasingly problematic as the community has grown to more than 13% of Israel's total population.
This proportion is expected to reach about a third within 40 years due to high birth rates.
The issue has been simmering and unresolved for decades, but the war in Gaza and the possibility of a wider war with Iran and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon have brought it into focus.
“The registration of ultra-Orthodox citizens is an operational necessity and is carried out in accordance with the law. The IDF is determined to continue to advance it,” the Israeli military said. (th/ab)
