Hundreds of Thousands Protest Military Draft Across Israel, Shutting Jerusalem

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men gathered in Jerusalem to protest against military conscription, a long-standing and contentious issue in Israeli society that has strained Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government. The protest, described as a rare show of unity among various ultra-Orthodox factions, involved around 200,000 participants who blocked roads and halted public transport, causing major disruptions in the city. The demonstration turned deadly when a 20-year-old man fell from an unfinished high-rise building, prompting organizers to end the rally and urging safe dispersal. Many ultra-Orthodox oppose conscription, viewing it as an attempt to secularize their community, and some have faced arrest warrants for draft evasion. The protest highlighted deep societal divisions over exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox seminary students, who are seen by many Israelis as unfairly avoiding military service. This issue has been further inflamed by recent military conflicts and ongoing political challenges within Netanyahu's coalition.