Jerusalem Rally by Ultra-Orthodox Opposes End to Draft Exemptions

Hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men rallied in Jerusalem on Thursday to oppose plans to end long-standing exemptions from Israel's mandatory military service, bringing major roads to a standstill, prompting a large police response and leaving at least one teenager dead, authorities said. The demonstration, called by Haredi rabbis and yeshiva councils, centered on demands that full-time religious students remain exempt from conscription.

Organizers and officials gave different estimates of attendance, with reports ranging from roughly 200,000 to several hundred thousand participants. Protesters converged on West Jerusalem from neighborhoods including Mea Shearim and marched toward the Knesset, blocking Highway 1 and prompting Israel Railways to close Jerusalem’s central station. Police deployed in force to cordon roads and direct traffic.

The rally followed recent arrests of yeshiva students and a June 2024 Supreme Court ruling that said the state must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men unless the Knesset enacts a new law to preserve exemptions. Protesters said enforcement of the ruling threatens the religious character of their communities and the continuity of...