Political situation in Israel

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox in violent protest in Jerusalem

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday to protest the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the exemption that allows the ultra-Orthodox to avoid military service, the AP reports.

The protests degenerated later in the evening. When protesters began throwing rocks and setting garbage cans on fire, Israeli police responded with water cannons filled with a foul-smelling liquid.

Ultra-Orthodox parties allied with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are critical of the decision, which they say will destroy the ultra-Orthodox's traditional way of life. At the same time, there is widespread dissatisfaction among the population that some residents avoid military service.

"In the midst of a war, the burden of inequality becomes clearer than ever and demands a solution," the Supreme Court wrote in its decision last week.

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Rabbi: We will not compromise

Ultra-Orthodox protesters marched through Jerusalem on Sunday carrying placards reading "We will not join the enemy's army" and "We would rather die than enlist."

The Supreme Court has decided that even ultra-orthodox Jews must be covered by the compulsory military service. The protesters claim it is incompatible with their way of life and fear that those who enlist will be secularized.

- We will not compromise with the Torah (Judaism's holy book redacted note), says Rabbi Moshe Tzedaka to the Times of Israel.