Thousands of Ultra-Orthodox protesters demand release of jailed Haredi draft evader

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters gathered outside a military prison in central Israel late Monday, at one point breaching the fence surrounding the army base where the prison is housed and clashing with military police during a mass demonstration demanding the release of a Haredi man jailed for evading military service, according to Israeli media.

Israel’s Channel 12 said more than 2,000 demonstrators gathered outside Military Prison 10 near the central city of Kfar Yona before tearing down parts of the facility’s perimeter fence.

The protest was organized in support of a member of the Gur Hasidic sect who was sentenced to 20 days in prison for evading military service, the broadcaster said.

Yitzhak Goldknopf, the head of the United Torah Judaism party and a former housing and construction minister, led the demonstration alongside the Gur Rebbe, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.

Channel 12 said around 200 buses transported protesters from across Israel to the prison, adding that police allowed demonstrators into the fenced area without attempting to disperse them.

Military Prison 10 is used to detain military personnel and individuals wanted for compulsory military service, including draft evaders.

The ultra-Orthodox community has continued protesting compulsory military service since Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in June 2024 that Haredi men are subject to military conscription and ordered the suspension of state funding for religious institutions whose students refuse to enlist.

The dispute has intensified as Israel continues to mobilize reservists while fighting on multiple fronts, including Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and the occupied West Bank.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews account for around 13% of Israel’s population of more than 10 million. Most oppose military service, arguing that full-time Torah study should take precedence and that military service threatens their religious way of life.