Hundreds protest in Tel Aviv against ultra-Orthodox military exemption law

JERUSALEM

Hundreds of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening against the conscription law, demanding that ultra-Orthodox Jews, known as Haredi, should also be enlisted in military service like other citizens.

According to the Israel news site Ynet, hundreds of people demonstrated on Rothschild Street in Tel Aviv against the controversial conscription law.

According to the report, the protesters viewed that the Hamas Oct. 7 attack proved that the Israeli army cannot dispense with Haredi and needs 7,000 soldiers immediately.

The protesters called on the Knesset members to pass an equal draft law applicable to the entire Israeli society.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews constitute about 13% of Israel's 9.7 million population and traditionally do not serve in the military, dedicating their lives to Torah study.

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation unanimously approved a controversial draft law regarding Haredi conscription.

This paves the way for the law to be presented to the Knesset for a vote.

While Israelis are required to serve two years in the military at age 18, the proposed law exempts Haredi.

Since 2017, successive governments have failed to reach a consensus on a Haredi draft law after the Supreme Court annulled a 2015 law that exempted them from military service, ruling that the exemption violated the "principle of equality."

Since then, the Knesset has repeatedly extended the exemption for Haredi from military service.

The order issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in March to delay the implementation of mandatory conscription for Haredi has expired.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul