By Palestine Chronicle Staff 
Israel’s Supreme Court recently mandated the drafting of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army and banned financial aid to religious institutions whose students refused military service. Many ultra-Orthodox Jews protested against this near a recruitment office in central Israel, blocking roads and displaying signs of opposition. The army, facing personnel shortages due to ongoing conflicts, redirected recruits to an alternative location, including young ultra-Orthodox men prepared for regular military service.
Former Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef urged Haredi Yeshiva students to reject army conscription, sparking further controversy. The legal requirement for military service and exemptions for Haredi Jews have long been debated in Israel, leading to clashes and protests. The push for a prisoner exchange deal with Gaza’s resistance movements also triggered a general strike and mass demonstrations across Israel.
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