13 arrested in violent ultra-Orthodox anti-draft protest

Thirteen ultra-Orthodox protesters were arrested in Bnei Brak Thursday after they attacked police officers and blocked a major central Israeli highway during a demonstration against the army draft, police said.

Hundreds took part in the demonstration that was initiated by the radical ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem Faction over the recent arrest of a yeshiva student who failed to show up at a military draft office.

Protesters calling “We’d rather die than be recruited” blocked central streets in the Tel Aviv suburb, causing heavy traffic congestion on Ze’ev Jabotinsky Road, which runs through Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, and Petah Tikva.

Police said the protesters went on to block Route 4, a major highway nearby that ultra-Orthodox protesters have shuttered during previous demonstrations. The highway was blocked in both directions between the Bar Ilan and Morasha exits Thursday evening, and authorities urged drivers to avoid the area.

In a statement, police said the officers who arrived to clear the road were attacked by protesters who hurled rocks at them. Reports in Hebrew-language media said police were greeted by shouts of “Nazis” and “go burn in hell.”

Police said 13 protesters were arrested for attacking officers and disrupting public order. The statement also said a foreign national was arrested for attempting to attack the demonstrators with a sharp object.

Many in the ultra-Orthodox community shun the mandatory military service that applies to most Israelis, and the community has historically enjoyed blanket exemptions from the army in favor of religious seminary studies.

Last September, the High Court ruled that a 2015 version of Israel’s draft law granting most yeshiva students draft exemptions was unconstitutional, and set lawmakers a year to institute new guidelines for ultra-Orthodox enlistment.

The court gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government until December 2 to pass an amended version of the bill regulating IDF enlistment. If new legislation is not voted into law, current deferral regulations will expire with the deadline and thousands of yeshiva students will find themselves unable to renew their deferments, making them eligible to be drafted by the IDF.

The contentious legislation, written by the Defense Ministry, sets minimum yearly targets for ultra-Orthodox conscription that, if not met, would result in financial sanctions on the yeshivas, or rabbinical seminaries, where they study. At the same time, it also formalizes exemptions for the vast majority of yeshiva students.

Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners oppose the bill, and have previously threatened to topple the government if the amended version submitted by the Defense Ministry is implemented next month.

But last month, United Torah Judaism’s rabbinical council said the key faction did not intend to bring down Netanyahu’s government over the issue. A source within the party told The Times of Israel the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Yisrael agreed to consider backing the amended bill if “a few changes are made.”

However, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has said he will not accept any changes to the legislation, potentially clouding the coalition’s prospects of reaching a compromise on the matter.

Raoul Wootliff contributed to this report