The most fundamental rift in Israeli politics is arguably not the wars it is fighting on multiple fronts, nor the international isolation stemming from its genocidal war in Gaza. Instead, the conscription of young ultra-Orthodox men into the military continues to divide the country’s major political parties and bring demonstrators to the streets.Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men brought city centres across central Israel to a halt on Thursday night as they protested against the arrest of their fellow adherents for refusing conscription into the army.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listTheir refusal to serve in the military is not, however, out of a moral objection to Israel’s various wars, but instead because they view serving in the army as diluting their faith and drawing them away from studying it.Protests by angry young ultra-Orthodox men have become regular occurrences across Israel. Violence is routine. Dozens of police officers and protesters have been injured, and scores more arrested for their involvement in the unrest, with the blockage of streets and closure of parts of city centres becoming usual.The threat of losing parliamentary support over the issue from the two main ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) has pushed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to bring forward a bill to dissolve parliament, as well as align itself with what stands to be an unpopular bill going through parliament that, if successful, promises to enshrine the exemption of ultra-Orthodox reli …
