Last week, the Israeli Supreme Court reportedly ordered the government to develop an effective enforcement policy against ultra-Orthodox draft evasion within 45 days.

Violent clashes broke out between Israeli police and dozens of ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredi) in the central Israeli city of Ramat Gan late on Tuesday after military police attempted to arrest a student who was evading enlistment in the army.

The Times of Israel, citing footage published by the Israeli Ynet news website, reported that dozens of Haredi protesters gathered at the site of the attempted arrest and surrounded a police vehicle. The report stated that the footage showed protesters sitting directly in front of the vehicle, blocking the police from moving through the crowd.

דרמה ברמת גן במהלך הלילה: ניסיון מעצר של עריק חרדי הוביל למהומות ענק שבסופן העריק נמלט. מאות צעירים זרמו למקום בעקבות קריאות התרעה בקווים, הם הצליחו להפוך ניידת משטרה ולסלק את השוטרים, התיעודים >>> pic.twitter.com/dn9lIUMJgx

— יואלי ברים yoeli brim (@yoeli_brim) November 26, 2025

According to reports, protesters later overturned the vehicle, while Al-Jazeera reported that the protesters caused damage to several police vehicles.

Three protesters were detained, although the draft dodger himself managed to evade arrest, having managed to flee to his yeshiva (religious school), according to Israeli media.

Supreme Court Order

Last week, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the government to develop an effective enforcement policy against ultra-Orthodox draft evasion within 45 days, Al-Jazeera reported on Wednesday.

This policy includes broad and severe criminal measures in both the economic and civil spheres, the report stated.

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Refusing to serve in the Israeli army, the Haredi continue their protests against military conscription following the Supreme Court’s decision on June 25, 2024, to mandate their service and prohibit financial aid to religious institutions whose students refuse military service, the report added.

Political Pressure

The Haredi, who make up about 13 percent of Israel’s 10 million inhabitants, refuse military service, claiming they dedicate their lives to Torah study. They assert that integration into secular society threatens their religious identity and the continuity of their community, the report noted.

The voices of senior rabbis, whose pronouncements are considered religious edicts for the Haredi, the report stated, are increasingly calling for conscription refusal and even the tearing up of draft notices.

Israeli Army to Deploy Forces at Airports to Detain Ultra-Orthodox Draft Evaders

For decades, Haredi Jews have avoided military service upon reaching the age of 18 through repeated deferments under the pretext of studying at religious seminaries, until they reach the exemption age, which is currently 26.

The opposition accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to pass a law exempting the Haredi from military service in response to demands from the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties. The parties withdrew from the government earlier this year but are prepared to return once a law is passed that meets their demands.

Gaza Genocide

Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of close to 70,000 Palestinians, with more than 170,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.

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In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.

Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.

(PC, AJA)