Ten thousand ultra-orthodox Jews demonstrated yesterday in Jerusalem, protesting against the recent decision of the Israeli Supreme Court to make them compulsory to join the army (until now they were exempt from military service).

After the morning’s peaceful march in a Jerusalem neighborhood, the crowd moved into the city center, starting incidents.

The enraged ultra-Orthodox – among them many minors – attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox minister with stones and clashed with the police.

To disperse the crowd, police used water cannons while mounted police chased the protesters.

ultra-orthodox israel

The wild episodes lasted until late Sunday night, without the situation being completely defused.

Military service in Israel is compulsory but students of Jewish seminaries have been exempted from the obligation for many decades.

Last week’s landmark court ruling could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government as the war in Gaza continues.

The governing coalition depends for its survival on two ultra-Orthodox parties who believe that the exemption of members of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community from the conscription (only voluntary) that applies to the rest of the citizens protects their ultra-conservative beliefs that would be at risk from joining in the army.