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.
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.
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? 
, 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 
like how can a bus driver just hit a crowd of people?!? 
what if there were more casualties??? 
. We need to address this inequality and find a solution that works for everyone 
. Can't we all just get along? 
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.
.