Teen killed by bus during ultra-Orthodox protest against conscription in Jerusalem

Jerusalem witnessed a deadly clash on Tuesday when an ultra-Orthodox Jewish rally against military conscription turned violent, leaving one teenager dead after a bus driver hit the crowd. The Israeli police have detained the driver and are investigating the incident.

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets to protest a law requiring them to serve in the army, amid tensions over manpower shortages on multiple fronts. The opposition and some coalition partners have been putting pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to increase military recruits, but traditional allies from the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party oppose conscription of religious students.

Under a 1948 ruling, men who devote themselves full-time to studying Jewish texts are granted an effective exemption from mandatory service. However, this has sparked mounting scrutiny from the rest of Israeli society, particularly when tens of thousands of conscripts and reservists mobilise on several fronts despite the fragile truce that ended the war in Gaza.

The ultra-Orthodox community makes up 14% of Israel's Jewish population and maintaining their support is crucial for Netanyahu's right-wing coalition. In November, a new draft law was proposed to Parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee after a previous conscription bill was rejected in July.

In the wake of Tuesday's violence, Israeli authorities have been struggling to maintain stability amid deep divisions over military service. The incident highlights the simmering tensions between the ultra-Orthodox community and the rest of Israeli society, with protests taking place on a regular basis in recent months.

this is so sad... one teen's life lost because of something that seems so important to some people... i feel for the family and friends of the victim and it makes me wonder if we're really moving forward or just going in circles with these protests and tensions... can't we find a way to understand each other better?

I'm telling ya, it's just getting outta hand! This latest violence at that ultra-Orthodox rally is just another example of how far-spread the divisions are in Israel. And let's not forget about those conscription laws - they're like a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. What's next? A full-blown civil war? The fact that Netanyahu's right-wing coalition has to deal with this kind of pressure is just a sign of how unstable things have become.

And can we talk for a second about the whole "exemption from service" thing? I mean, I get it, studying Jewish texts is important to some people, but not everyone wants to be stuck in the army all day. It's like they're creating this whole separate class system within Israeli society and nobody's talking about it. The ultra-Orthodox community makes up a decent chunk of the population, so why should their needs always come first?

man this is getting so heated its like you take one step forward and 10 steps back the ultra-orthodox community got a legit point about their exemption though but at the same time it's like they're not contributing to the society which is weird ...anyway i feel for the teenager who lost his life its just a shame that something so tragic has to happen in the first place

this whole thing is so messed up like whats going on with these people? ultra-orthodox jews are literally exempt from military service because they're too busy reading jewish texts? it's not even like they're contributing to society or anything... and now its causing this massive violence in jerusalem? I dont get why the israeli government isnt addressing this issue properly, its gotta be affecting national security and stuff... meanwhile benjamin netanyahu just sits there smiling, knowing his coalition relies on these ultra-orthodox votes

OMG, like seriously, how did this even happen? A bus driver just plowed into a crowd of protesters and killed someone! That's insane. I mean, I get it, the ultra-Orthodox community is mad about not having to do their military service, but come on, that's not an excuse for violence.

And can we talk about how messed up this whole situation is? These guys are basically exempt from serving in the army just because they want to study Jewish texts all day. It's like, hello, Israel needs people to fight and protect its borders! And now the rest of Israeli society is getting all frustrated because these guys aren't pulling their weight.

And let's not forget that this is a huge issue for Netanyahu's government . They need to keep the ultra-Orthodox community on board or else it'll be bad news for them. But at the same time, they can't just let violence happen and ignore the problem. It's like, what even is the solution here?

what's going on in Israel is so sad... an innocent teenager died because of someone else's actions and now they're trying to figure out who's responsible , but let's not forget that these ultra-Orthodox protests have been going on for a while and it's getting really ugly . I'm starting to think that the Israeli government needs to find a way to address this issue without making it worse . Netanyahu has to navigate all these different factions and keep his coalition together, but at what cost?

OMG just saw that news about Jerusalem and it's getting super crazy!!! like how can a bus driver just hit a crowd of people?!? what if there were more casualties??? i mean, i get why the ultra-Orthodox Jews are protesting against conscription but is it really worth causing violence and putting lives at risk? Netanyahu needs to figure out a way to balance everyone's concerns without resorting to chaos. and can we talk about how the Israeli police are still trying to investigate who hit that bus driver in the first place? come on guys, get it together!

This is just so crazy ... like I get why they're protesting against conscription, but the violence that broke out last night was totally not okay . It's like, we need to find a way to work together and compromise, you know? I mean, Netanyahu needs to listen to his coalition partners and the rest of Israeli society too . The fact that some ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from service because they're studying Jewish texts just feels unfair to me . We need to address this inequality and find a solution that works for everyone . Can't we all just get along?

Israel's conscription crisis is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen! I mean, think about it, 14% of the population thinks they're above serving their country? It's like they're trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. And Netanyahu's right-wing coalition is too scared to take on the ultra-Orthodox community? Come on! The rest of Israeli society is fed up with being held hostage by this special treatment.

It's not just about the teenagers who get killed or maimed, it's about the principle. If they're not willing to serve, then why should we have to foot the bill? And what's with all these protests and petitions? It's like they're trying to create a sense of victimhood. Well, let me tell you, if everyone who wanted to get out of serving had a legitimate reason, we wouldn't be in this mess.

Netanyahu needs to take a stand and show the ultra-Orthodox community that they can't just opt-out whenever it's convenient for them. It's time to find a compromise, not cater to their whims. The stability of Israel depends on it!

I'm seeing so much anger and frustration on social media about this incident... it's like we're all just one big mess . I get why the ultra-Orthodox community is upset – they've been following their faith for centuries, and now they're being asked to conform to a whole new system. But at the same time, I feel for the family of that teenager who lost his life... it's like we're just picking sides .

Can't we all just try to understand each other's perspectives? It's not about winning or losing; it's about finding a way forward that works for everyone. And honestly, I'm kinda tired of seeing people taking out their frustrations on each other... let's focus on building bridges instead of tearing them down .