Israeli police deployed water cannons and stun grenades during a violent confrontation with ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters in Jerusalem on Thursday, leaving more than a dozen officers injured. The clashes erupted after an attempt to issue a simple parking ticket escalated dramatically, reflecting the growing tensions over government plans to draft the Haredim into the military.
Parking Dispute Sparks Widespread Violence
The incident began when a police inspector tried to write a parking ticket in an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood. Authorities state the inspector was met with immediate violence and threats, prompting an arrest. This action led hundreds of members of the close-knit community to gather rapidly at the scene.
Protesters attempted to free the detained suspect, damaging police vehicles and pelting officers with stones and eggs. In response, law enforcement used significant force. Videos circulating on Israeli social media confirm police beat protesters with batons, threw stun grenades, and ultimately fired water cannons to disperse the crowd.
Injuries, Arrests, and the Shadow of Conscription
The violence resulted in 13 police officers being injured, with five requiring hospital treatment. Police confirmed that by Thursday afternoon, four individuals had been arrested, with investigations into several others ongoing. Photos from the scene showed an overturned car and multiple vehicles with shattered windshields.
While police denied the claim, some residents accused officers of initially trying to arrest the man for failing to register for the military draft. This accusation lies at the heart of the wider conflict. The Israeli government is currently mulling plans to end the longstanding exemption for ultra-Orthodox men, a move supported by many secular Israelis who have served in recent conflicts but staunchly opposed by the Haredi community.
A Deep-Rooted National Controversy
The exemption from compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox scholars dates back to Israel's founding in 1948. Over decades, the numbers granted exemption have swelled, aided by politically powerful religious parties. The ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, constitute roughly 1.3 million people, about 13% of Israel's population. They view full-time religious study as their paramount duty and argue that military service would destroy their insular way of life.
This latest violent episode in Jerusalem underscores how the debate over conscription has moved from political chambers onto the streets, signalling a period of heightened social friction as the government seeks to alter a decades-old status quo.
