Israel: 30 ultra-Orthodox protesters arrested in Bnei Brak March 22 /update 1

Event

Israeli police arrested some 30 ultra-Orthodox demonstrators in Bnei Brak (Tel Aviv district) on Thursday, March 22, during protests against compulsory military service. Hundreds of protesters reportedly gathered on Ze'ev Jabotinsky Street to participate in the demonstration, organized by the Jerusalem Faction ultra-Orthodox group, and obstructed traffic on the Route 4 highway for around three hours before the protesters were dispersed by police tear gas. Some demonstrators reportedly threw rocks at police officers. Clashes also broke out between ultra-Orthodox protesters and police during related protests in Ramat Gan (Tel Aviv district) on Thursday evening (local time). Additional ultra-Orthodox protests, and consequent heightened security measures, clashes with police, and traffic disruptions are expected in Bnei Brak in the coming days and weeks.

Context

Related protests took place in Jerusalem on March 8 and in Bnei Brak on March 12 following the recent arrest of an ultra-Orthodox man who refused to sign a deferral of military service request and was considered a draft dodger.

In September 2017, Israel's Supreme Court struck down a 2015 law that granted military service exemptions to ultra-Orthodox men; however, the court suspended its decision for one year to allow for new arrangements to be made. Recent controversy and protests over ultra-Orthodox conscription, backed by the Jerusalem Faction group, have pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition to attempt to address the issue by drafting a bill to formally exempt ultra-Orthodox individuals from conscription or face the splintering of the coalition and early elections. A final vote on the bill is not expected to be held for several months, according to local media sources as of March 12.

Protests over the draft, some of them violent, have taken place in recent months in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and Beit Shemesh - cities that are home to large ultra-Orthodox communities.

Advice

Individuals in Israel are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all demonstrations and protests due to the risk of violent escalation, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.