Orthodox protesters detained in Israel during demonstration opposing military service
"Five devoutly Orthodox protesters got arrested by Israeli law enforcement during a rally. They blocked several avenues on a Wednesday, near the enlistment office in Jerusalem, aiming to hinder individuals planning to enroll in military duty.
Lately, more than 3,000 devout Orthodox individuals have received enlistment notices. This stems from a court verdict in June by Israel's Supreme Court, aiming to abolish an exemption for Orthodox Jews in the army.
Military service is mandatory for the majority of Jewish men and women, with a duration of two to three years. In the past, Orthodox Jews were exempt to give them time for religious studies.
The exemption for the roughly 1.3 million Orthodox Jews, accounting for around 13% of Israel's populace, has been a heated issue amongst secular Jews. This friction intensified since the commencement of the Gaza conflict in October, which also triggered the mobilization of numerous reservists. Over 540 soldiers have sadly lost their lives since Hamas initiated attacks on Israel on October 7."**
I mean, the court verdict is forcing Orthodox Jews into military service, something they've traditionally been exempt from due to religious studies. Despite protests and arrests, the enlistment notices continue to pile up.
