Clashes continue between police and ultra-Orthodox demonstrators protesting against conscription into the army
Following the recent decision by Supreme Court of the Jewish State on Sunday, July 21, the Israeli army will send the first summonses to some 1000 ultra-Orthodox young Jews between the ages of 18 and 26. The conscription will be held in three phases, and additional summonses will be sent out in the coming weeks. According to a military spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), there are “increasing operational needs,” and conscription is part of the IDF’s program to promote the integration of orthodox Jews into its ranks: “The IDF is working to recruit from among all social groups in Israel, taking into account the country’s compulsory military service, its status as a people’s army, and in response to growing operational needs,” the Israeli Armed Forces spokesman said.
In recent days, immediately after the announcement that in a few days the army will begin sending out summonses to young men from the Jewish Orthodox religious community, in Tel Aviv and several other Israeli localities clashes were reported between police and anti-conscription demonstrators under the slogan “We’d rather go to jail than join the army.”