Ultra-Orthodox Protesters Block Roads and Trains Across Israel over Military Draft
Police arrested two protesters as ultra-Orthodox demonstrators blocked major roads and rail lines, forcing Israel Railways to suspend service across central Israel.
- On Monday, June 1, 2026, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox protesters disrupted traffic across Israel, blocking major highways and railway lines to denounce mandatory military enlistment for yeshiva students.
- Tensions stem from growing pressure to draft Haredi men, who traditionally received exemptions if studying full-time in seminaries; these exemptions affect roughly 13% of Israeli society amid severe soldier shortages.
- Demonstrators attacked a soldier in Jerusalem and smashed windows at the Har Hotzvim police station; protesters blocked the Ganot Interchange, forcing Israel Railways to suspend service across central Israel at around 5 p.m.
- The Forum of Haredi Local Authority Heads announced they would suspend all cooperation with the Israel Police, accusing the force of becoming "an enemy of the Haredi sector" for arresting yeshiva students.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition faces strain from the dispute, potentially forcing elections this fall, while the government confronts soldier shortages amid simultaneous fighting in Gaza and Lebanon.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Ultra-orthodox draft protests cripple central Israel
Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox demonstrated across Israel on Monday, blocking roads and trains and setting cars on fire to protest mandatory enlistment in Israel’s military. Israel’s police said demonstrators blocked major intersections and attacked a soldier who disembarked from a bus near a protest. Police struggled to control the crowds with water cannons and horses. The protest largely crippled the country’s centre, with highways closed…
Anti-draft Haredi protesters smash Jerusalem police building doors, block railway tra
Anti-draft Haredi protesters brought rail traffic in central Israel to a halt, attempted to storm the home of a senior police commander and blocked major roads across the country, as Haredi municipal leaders declared the police 'an enemy' and suspended cooperation.
Protesters also gathered in front of the home of a senior police officer, whom they hold responsible for the arrests
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