Jerusalem police were expecting up to 500,000 protesters to join a “million-man march” on Thursday against the conscription of the ultra-Orthodox into the Israel Defense Forces, Hebrew media reported.
The mass rally, which is scheduled to take place between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. at the city’s entrance, will effectively shut down the capital for several hours, with Highway 1 (the Tel-Aviv Jerusalem road) being closed in both directions starting at noon on Thursday, police said.
During the protest, entry to the holy city will only be permitted for pre-arranged buses, which will be directed to designated drop-off zones.
The Israel Police in a statement urged the public to avoid the area, follow updates and listen to police instructions. Any attempt to block roads, light fires or damage property will be dealt with firmly, it said.
The rally will include participants from all Haredi streams, including the Lithuanian, Hasidic and Sephardic communities, with the participation of their respective spiritual leaders. The demonstration will consist of the recitation of prayers and Psalms, without any political speeches.
Organizers urged women to stay home and recite Psalms during the protest. Married women who wish to attend may gather in a separate, remote area designated for them “to maintain modesty,” they added.
Meanwhile, several organizations representing IDF reservists, wounded soldiers, bereaved families and other groups are planning a counter-demonstration near the Chords Bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem.
Thursday’s rally comes in the wake of last week’s arrest of Ariel Shamai, a student at the prestigious Ateret Shlomo yeshivah in Rishon Lezion, by IDF Military Police. Shamai was reportedly sentenced to 20 days in jail for refusing to appear at the IDF draft office after receiving a summons.
Military Police have since arrested several ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers, sparking large-scale protests across the country by their communities.
Some Haredi leaders, including of the Ateret Shlomo yeshivah, have co-opted symbols used by the families of the hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, sparking widespread outrage.
Israel’s Supreme Court ruled last year that following the expiry of an exemption law in 2023, the military must begin drafting Haredi men, and the IDF this year began initiating criminal proceedings against ultra-Orthodox draft candidates who fail to report for enlistment.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, Shas and United Torah Judaism, exited the government in July over the issue, leaving the coalition without a clear Knesset majority.
A draft bill regulating exemptions of Haredi yeshivah students from IDF service is expected to be presented soon by Knesset lawmaker Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Netanyahu in a Knesset speech last week said his government would bring forward legislation to enlist 10,000 Haredi yeshivah students within two years, calling the proposal “a genuine revolution.
“We have the example of the Hasmonean Brigade,” he stated. “These bold fighters enlisted in the IDF as Haredim and will be discharged as Haredim, and we will add more tracks that will make this possible.”
