WATCH: Anti-draft protesters try to block roads into Tel Hashomer base, prevent haredi enlistment

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox protesters tried to stop access to Israel’s Tel Hashomer military recruitment base on Monday, seeking to prevent haredi men from enlisting as a new draft cycle began.

Protesters blocked roads near the base in Kiryat Ono, and footage showed clashes with police and security personnel. Israel Police said Ya'akov Dori Street was closed in both directions between Levi Eshkol Street and Shlomo Hamelech Street, advising drivers to use alternate routes.

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We are seeing a significant step forward today.

Some protesters reportedly slept outside the base so they could be present when recruitment began. The current enlistment wave started on Sunday and is expected to continue for two weeks. It includes hundreds of haredi men who will be placed directly in combat roles.

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The haredi young men arriving at the Bakum [Tel Hashomer] this morning are proving that it is possible to combine strict adherence to a Torah-based identity with a direct contribution to the country’s security on the front lines.

The recruits will serve in designated haredi frameworks, including the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the Kfir Brigade, the Hashmonaim Brigade, the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers Brigade and the Negev Unit in the Israeli Air Force.

Shomer Yisrael, an organization that works to integrate haredim into the Israel Defense Forces, welcomed the enlistment figures. Its chief executive, Lt. Col. (res.) Yossi Levi, called the recruitment “a significant step forward” and said the new soldiers could maintain a Torah-based identity while serving on the front lines. One recruit, Itamar Reinhold, said his brother’s service in Netzah Yehuda influenced his decision to enlist.

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I simply wanted to be part of it.