Ultra-Orthodox draft protesters block highway, throw rocks at firefighters

In Bnei Brak, a fringe group of ultra-Orthodox protesters escalated their demonstrations against mandatory military service by setting fires and hurling rocks at emergency responders. This act of defiance, targeting firefighters, underscores the extreme measures some within the Haredi community are willing to take to oppose conscription.

The protesters' actions, including blocking a major highway, have paralyzed daily life for hundreds of thousands, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Council member Yaakov Vider sharply criticized the lax enforcement, stating that law enforcement enables such criminality rather than preventing it.

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Once again, a marginal extremist fringe is blocking Bnei Brak and Gush Dan, paralyzing the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens and primarily harming the vulnerable population - seniors, the ill, children, and public transport users

This unrest is a direct response to a recent, forceful ruling by the High Court of Justice. The court mandated that the state must take concrete steps within weeks to revoke financial benefits for draft dodgers and initiate criminal proceedings against Haredi men evading military service. This ruling intensifies the long-standing conflict over ultra-Orthodox conscription, pushing the issue to a critical juncture.

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Instead of preventing the criminality that harms innocent citizens, law enforcement authorities are enabling it and even making sure to block the roads in advance for their honor