Approximately 200,000 ultra-Orthodox individuals joined forces to express their discontent with the military draft, which they believe unjustly targets their community. The protest, marked by its sheer size and intensity, led to numerous clashes with the police, resulting in injuries on both sides.

According to Israel’s emergency services, Magen David Adom, 56 people sustained injuries during the unrest. Among the injured was a police officer, who was struck by stones hurled by some of the demonstrators.

The protest brought Jerusalem to a standstill, as major roads leading into the city were blocked. Participants from various parts of the country converged on the capital, unified in their resistance to the conscription of Haredi men into the Israel Defense Forces. The demonstration occasionally turned violent, prompting police intervention to clear the blocked routes and maintain public order.

This mass rally underscores the deep-seated tensions surrounding the draft issue, with ultra-Orthodox Jews vehemently opposing any measures that would compel them to serve in the military. As these events unfold, the pressure mounts on Israel’s leadership to address this divisive issue.

At the heart of the unrest is a long-standing exemption that allows ultra-Orthodox men who study full-time in religious seminaries to avoid military service — a policy that many Israelis view as deeply unfair.

Military service is mandatory for most Jewish men and women, but Haredi Jews have historically been exempt, a privilege dating back to Israel’s founding. They argue that their way of life — centered around Torah study and religious community — is incompatible with full military service. They fear that conscription will undermine their religious identity, expose them to secular values and erode the distinct community structures they’ve built.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest against plans to force them to serve in the Israeli military, in Jerusalem, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Mahmoud Illean/AP Photo)

With Israel fighting wars on multiple fronts over the past two years, the military has faced growing manpower shortages, prompting renewed efforts to end the exemption. The Supreme Court ruled last year that the arrangement was unconstitutional, ordering the government to pass a new conscription law.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joins other government ministers at a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters )

That ruling has shaken Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. His ultra-Orthodox allies — the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties — quit the government in July, accusing him of betraying their religious base. Parliament has yet to agree on a compromise acceptable to both the Haredi leadership and the military.

Opposition leaders condemned the violence. Yair Lapid wrote on X, “If you can march in the streets, you can march in basic training and defend the State of Israel.” Benny Gantz added, referring to a video of a female reporter being attacked, “There is nothing Jewish about this behavior.”