In brief
In a historic gathering, hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem against changes to military conscription that would affect religious students. The protest, dubbed the 'march of the million', brought together various factions of the Haredi community, united in their opposition to mandatory military service amid intensified demands for broader participation in the Israeli military. The protest highlights underlying tensions between the ultra-Orthodox community and the state regarding military service and societal obligations.
Hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israelis are taking part in a protest in Jerusalem against changes to a legal exemption for religious students from conscription in the military.
Almost all sects and factions of the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, community are taking part in what has been dubbed the march of the million.
Since the founding of Israel, students enrolled full-time at a religious school, or yeshiva, have been exempted from conscription, although some other members of the community do serve in the military.
Demands for them to play a bigger role have intensified during the war in Gaza.
Roads in and around Jerusalem were shut down before the start of one of the biggest anti-conscription protests by ultra-Orthodox Israelis in years.
This gathering is uniting disparate elements of the community, which makes up about 14% of the Israeli population, against the backdrop of anger over hundreds of arrests in recent months of ultra-Orthodox men avoiding the draft.
The Haredi believe that their age-old way of life could be under threat, while many in Israel feel they have not shared their fair burden in the war.
Bringing them into the military would help with a shortfall in manpower, but there are concerns in the military about the integration difficulties and the need to adhere to the strict code of religious beliefs.
