Another social problem for Benjamin Netanyahu. This Thursday around 200,000 haredi ultra-orthodox Jews.
A mass of this group has blocked the main entry routes to Jerusalem in protection for him massive call to perform military servicethan they were exempt until a year agounlike the rest of the population, for whom the ‘military’ is mandatory, of about three years for men and two for women. Their protest has become more complicated as it has progressed, leading to police charges.
The young people of the Haredi community have called a march called ‘the protest of a million people for Haredi Ultra-Orthodox, in the midst of a demonstration against compulsory recruitment, this Thursday, October 30the main roads that allow entry to Jerusalem. At various points, the masses have gathered with shouts and slogans of “Stalin is here” or “Russia is here.” “They treat us like outcasts and like criminals because the system has decided to ignore all laws,” defended one of the protesters, Shlomo Cohen.
Until a year ago, the law exempted ultra-Orthodox youth from military conscription, but the Supreme Court struck down this exemption, claiming that it was unfair and discriminatory towards other Israelis. Especially in “times of war”, the high court emphasizes, opening the door to appeal of just over 50,000 haredis by the Netanyahu Government.
During this time of bombings in Gaza, the ultra-Orthodox community has staged numerous demonstrations against the war and especially against its call-up. The rejection reached such an extreme that the young people contacted by the Armed Forces have been rebelling on numerous occasions, refusing to go to the indicated recruitment centers.
Who are the haredis
These members, who make up between 10 and 15% of the Israeli population as EFE details, are accustomed to live in own communities and with a very conservative view of Judaismthey are dedicated to study the Torahthe holy book of Judaism. Thus, they exercise conscientious objection to these call-ups alleging religious reasons.
They are appearance is very characteristicwith white shirts, black suits, top hats, long beards and their characteristic curly locks, called ‘peyot’.
In a first moment of protest this Thursday, the officers deployed closed the main entrance of a bus station in Jerusalem after a brief brawl between users and protesters. These, with a radical ideology, began to throw objects of all kinds and insults to women accused of being “impure”as detailed by Europa Press.
The confrontation escalated and the officers ended up charging the protesters when a group tried to enter a building under construction, where a young man died after falling into the void. This event marked the end of the massive protest.
The ultra-Orthodox’s refusal to do military service has the support of the political forces of this ideology; Not so from the main opposition leader to Netanyahu. He opposition leader Yair Lapidhas urged the Haredis to collaborate with the State because “If they can travel to go to a protest, they can travel to get around up to a recruitment center and defend the State of Israel.”
“I want to say this to the young people who have been disrespectful and who keeps saying that he prefers to die rather than enlist […] Everyone will have to get ready and work“Lapid added.
