Israeli police violently breaks up Haredi Jew protest against draft

By Al Mayadeen English
2 Jun 2024 22:26

In a series of protests against the possibility of conscription into the military law, Haredi Jews have been clashing with the occupation police as the latter tries to contain demonstrations.

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Israeli occupation police assault a Haredi Jew protesting the conscription law, June 2, 2024 (Screengrab)

Israeli media reported on Sunday that the occupation police forcefully dispersed a Haredi Jew settler demonstration protesting the conscription law after they blocked Street 4 near Tel Aviv.

Tens of Haredi Jews were also protesting in front of the occupation's High Court in occupied al-Quds, blocking the streets, and expressing their rejection of the military conscription law.

Published footage showed a Haredi Jew breaking into the High Court, yelling "We would rather die than be drafted."

Les juifs Haredim ont bloqué les routes de Jérusalem occupée et ont pris d'assaut la salle de la Cour suprême lors d'un débat sur un pourvoi visant à leur imposer le service obligatoire dans l'armée d'occupation. #Israel pic.twitter.com/G93Fxmq19d
— Shanna Messaoudi (@Shanna_Bylka) June 2, 2024

The protests emerged amid a discussion on the petition against the conscription law at the Israeli Court on Sunday, which later announced that it “will not issue its decision today.”

In addition, an Israeli opinion poll showed that about 65% of the Haredim would support withdrawal from the current government coalition if conscription is imposed on religious schools.

⚡️ **Haredim take to the streets in ****#Jerusalem**** and Tel Aviv as court hears petition against mandatory military service** pic.twitter.com/1CBVutAUIO
— Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) June 2, 2024

The Ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jewish community has been at the forefront of anti-governmental policies since a bill was raised to begin conscripting the Haredim to fight in Gaza, on "biblical doctrinal" grounds, often chanting the slogan "We would rather die than enlist" during their demonstrations.

Earlier in May, members of the community set the Israeli occupation flag on fire while protesting conscription policies outside the military recruitment center in Tel Aviv.

In March, Israeli Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef threatened a mass departure from "Israel" if mandatory military drafting was enforced, sparking a great uproar within the entity already extremely divided on the matter, which was brought back to the spotlight after the war on Gaza began.

"We will buy tickets; there is no such thing as forcing us into the army. The state stands on this," Yosef said commenting on lawmakers' attempts to impose a mandatory conscription on Haredim.