Jerusalem rocked by huge ultra-Orthodox demonstration against army conscription

Hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protested in Jerusalem against mandatory conscription into the Israeli army and the arrest of draft dodgers. The demonstration represented a rare show of unity among various ultra-Orthodox factions, who view enlistment as a threat to their religious way of life. Protesters stated their refusal is absolute and not directly tied to the current war, but rather a fundamental opposition to what they see as state-enforced secularism. The event highlights a long-standing and deeply divisive issue in Israeli society concerning military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community.