Israeli crises spur captives release, ultra-Orthodox draft protests
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Israelis are demanding that Netanyahu's government abolish the exempt status of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from mandatory service with the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
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Settlers in "Tel Aviv" block a road while demanding the release of Israeli captives on March 14, 2024. (AP)
In a visible rift of "Israel's" increasing societal and political divide, thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Thursday in separate rallies.
One demanded the immediate release of Israeli captives in Gaza, while the other called for the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox Jewish males into the army.
Tel Aviv - Police block protesters demanding a hostage release deal be made immediately.
— Or-ly Barlev in English 🎗 (@OrlyBarlevEng) March 14, 2024
Chanting: "Hostage release deal! Now!" pic.twitter.com/JBNvH7jJvz
Protesters demanding the release of captives marched from a "Tel Aviv" square, holding photos of the captives held in Gaza and demanding that the administration make a deal with the Palestinian Resistance to immediately ensure their release.
In another protest, Israelis demanded that Netanyahu's coalition government abolish the exempt status of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from mandatory service with the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
A total of 10,000 people took part in the demonstration.
Last week, confrontations between the IOF and Haredi Jews were renewed when hundreds protested and blocked roads in occupied al-Quds.
Chants such as "We'd rather die than serve" were repeated, while Israeli media reported intense clashes between protesters and Israeli police.
"الحريديم" يغلقون الطريق في منطقة "بار إيلان" رفضاً لقانون التجنيد في جيش الاحتلال.. ومواجهات مع الشرطة👇#الميادين #فلسطين_المحتلة pic.twitter.com/STVlR8iYJ5
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) March 3, 2024
In 2018, the Supreme Court overturned a rule that exempted ultra-Orthodox men from the draft, citing the necessity for the cost of military service to be shared throughout Israeli society.
The Knesset failed to reach a new agreement, and the government's ruling on forced enlistment of ultra-Orthodox Jews ends in March.
Gantz refuses to meet with Ultra-Orthodox Jews, far-right leader
The member of the war cabinet and co-leader of the "State Camp", Benny Gantz, has informed the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that he will not be present for a highly anticipated meeting regarding talks of a controversial corruption law on Thursday.
According to Israeli news website Ynet, the meeting was scheduled to be held between Gantz and leaders of the Ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jewish community and far-right leader Aryeh Deri of the Shas Party. The Haredim have largely been dismissed from military service in the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) as a result of their religious beliefs and a long history of verbal agreements with the founders of the Israeli regime.
However, the Israeli war on Gaza and the subsequent engagement with the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon on the Northern Front has led top Israeli political and military officials to call for equal conscription for all Israeli settlers, be they ultra-Orthodox or not.
Leading these demands are Israeli war cabinet ministers Gadi Eizenkot and Benny Gantz and war cabinet minister and Security Minister of the larger coalition government Yoav Gallant.
According to Israeli media outlets, Gantz said regarding the meeting scheduled for Thursday with leaders of the Haredim community, "Now is the time for action, not empty discussions," affirming that "the State Camp will be a partner in any discussion or process that leads towards a real plan for conscription, but it will not be a partner in maneuvers and gatherings at the expense of security needs."
The revelation marks yet another road bump in the IOF's efforts to bolster its ranks after suffering substantial losses in the Gaza Strip and the Northern Front. Moreover, Gallant insisted that any future conscription law he submitted for ratification should garner the support of all war cabinet members.
