Only 70 Haredi Jews out of 1,100 complied with Israeli draft orders
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Israeli media reports that hundreds of Haredi Jews protested the conscription orders near the Israeli military recruitment office on Jaffa Street in occupied al-Quds.
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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men protest against the draft law on July 16, 2024, in Bnei Brak, occupied Palestine (AFP)
Only 70 ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews reported to the recruitment office in occupied al-Quds on Wednesday, despite over 1,000 draft orders issued by the Israeli Supreme Court last June over a dangerous shortage in forces, Israeli media reported.
Security Minister Yoav Gallant instructed the military to issue 3,000 draft orders to members of the Haredi community in three separate waves.
Since then, 1,100 draft notices have been sent out, but only 70 Haredim complied, the media outlet noted.
Hundreds of Haredi Jews demonstrated near the Israeli military recruitment office on Jaffa Street in occupied al-Quds on Wednesday.
Read more: 'Israel has no right to exist', Chief Rabbis say upon Haredim draft
🚨⚡Hebrew media: Clashes between the Haredim and the police, and the Haredim describe the police as "Nazis and filthy" pic.twitter.com/0crc6UGx73
— War Analysis (@iiamguri9) August 21, 2024
Israeli police stated that dozens of protesters engaged in rioting, blocked nearby roads, and attempted to throw public garden fences at officers.
According to Israeli media, the Haredim, while calling the police "Nazis and filthy," attempted to breach police barriers to the recruitment office while blocking Jaffa Street.
The court's decision, reached by unanimous vote, followed assessments indicating that the Israeli occupation is facing severe manpower shortages due to its ongoing 11-month war on Gaza. Additionally, its brigades are deployed in the occupied West Bank amid growing Palestinian Resistance, and northern occupied Palestine in preparation for potential escalations with Hezbollah, which joined Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on June 8.
Read more: 'Israel' faces resource shortages amid war on Gaza and Lebanon
For decades, ultra-Orthodox men of military age have avoided Israeli army conscription by enrolling in yeshivas for Torah study and obtaining repeated one-year service deferrals until reaching the age of exemption. Many ultra-Orthodox Jews view military service as incompatible with their way of life and fear that enlistment could lead to secularization.
In early August, similar clashes broke out between Israeli occupation police and settlers from the Yerushalmi Haredim at the recruitment base in Tel HaShomer in the Ramat Gan area south of Tel Aviv.
This occurred after the protesters stormed the base to release the ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews who were forcefully conscripted into the Israeli occupation forces.
Prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbis have urged yeshiva students to disregard any communication from the Israeli military.
