Hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered and blocked the entrance to Jerusalem during a large-scale prayer rally against plans for mandatory military service for men from the Haredi community, the Times of Israel reports, News.bg reports.
The demonstrators filled the streets of the capital, carrying blue and yellow banners with inscriptions such as “Russia is here“ and “Stalin is here“. Some of them used symbols from the campaign to free the Israeli hostages to express their discontent with the draft, an action that provoked a sharp reaction from the Hostage Families Forum.
One protester displayed a poster calling secular Israelis "parasites" and urging them to "follow orders."
According to local media, security forces closed the entrances to the central bus station after protesters began arguing with passengers, throwing water bottles and insulting women, calling them "shits." Some of the demonstrators told the Times of Israel that they were provoked by passersby.
Channel 12 journalist Inbar Tvitser reported that she was pelted with plastic bottles during a live broadcast. She later had to report behind a police cordon after objects and sticks were thrown at her and other reporters.
The Israel Journalists Union confirmed that it had received numerous reports of attacks on reporters and cameramen during the rally and was in contact with the police. The organization called on all injured journalists to file official complaints and provide evidence of the incidents.
According to Channel 12, tens of thousands of people took part in the demonstration.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid strongly condemned the rally, describing it as “disgraceful”.
“I want to say to all those young people who chanted ‘We would rather die than enlist’ today: if you can go to a protest, you can also go to a draft center. "If you can march in the street, you can march in training and defend Israel," he said.
“What was will no longer be - everyone will enlist, everyone will serve, everyone will defend the state.“