Israeli soldiers rescued after confrontation with Ultra-orthodox crowd

Two female soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were rescued by police after being chased through the streets of Bnei Brak by a crowd of ultra-Orthodox men, in an incident that has reignited tensions over military conscription.

Video footage showed the soldiers running as bins were overturned and rubbish littered the streets, while police officers formed a protective barrier to shield them. Riot police deployed stun grenades to disperse the crowd, arresting 23 people. Three officers were injured, and police vehicles were damaged, including a patrol car that was overturned and a motorcycle set ablaze.

Reports suggest the soldiers were mistakenly believed to be delivering conscription orders. Military service is compulsory for most Jewish Israelis, but ultra-Orthodox men have long been exempt, a policy that has become increasingly contentious during the war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, calling it “unacceptable.” He stressed that the attackers represented “an extreme minority that does not represent the entire Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community,” adding: “We will not allow anarchy, and we will not tolerate any harm to IDF servicemen and security forces who carry out their duties with dedication and determination.”

Jewish religious leaders also denounced the unrest. Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that the soldiers had been on an official home visit to another serviceman when the confrontation broke out.

The clash comes against the backdrop of a broader national debate. Late last year, hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis staged one of the largest anti-conscription protests in years. Israel’s High Court of Justice has ruled that blanket exemptions for yeshiva students are unconstitutional, forcing the government to draft legislation requiring ultra-Orthodox men not in full-time religious study to serve.

Since Israel’s founding in 1948, students enrolled in religious schools have been exempted from conscription. That exemption was formally ended by the court last year, intensifying political and social tensions. The ultra-Orthodox population has grown significantly over the decades, now accounting for 14 percent of Israel’s population, making the issue increasingly central to the country’s future.