Daijiworld Media Network - Bnei Brak

Bnei Brak, Feb 16: Two female Israeli soldiers were rescued by police after being chased by a crowd of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in the city of Bnei Brak on Sunday.

Footage from the scene showed the women running through streets littered with rubbish and overturned bins as police officers formed a protective barrier around them. Riot police later used stun grenades to disperse the crowd. A total of 23 people were arrested, according to police, and three officers sustained injuries.

The soldiers, members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), were reportedly on an official home visit to another soldier when they were confronted. Initial reports suggested they were mistakenly believed to be delivering army conscription orders.

Military service is mandatory for most Jewish Israelis, but ultra-Orthodox Jews — also known as Haredim — have historically been exempt if enrolled full-time in religious study at a yeshiva. Efforts to reform or end the exemption have triggered strong opposition within the community.

Police said several vehicles were damaged during the unrest, including a patrol car that was overturned and a police motorcycle that was set on fire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident as “unacceptable,” describing those responsible as “an extreme minority that does not represent the entire Haredi community.”

“We will not allow anarchy, and we will not tolerate any harm to IDF servicemen and security forces who carry out their duties with dedication and determination,” he said in a post on X.

Jewish religious leaders also criticised the violence.

The confrontation comes amid growing tensions over military conscription during the ongoing war in Gaza. The Israeli government is currently debating draft legislation that would require ultra-Orthodox men not engaged in full-time religious study to serve in the military.

Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, full-time yeshiva students have been exempt from compulsory service. The exemption was ruled unconstitutional by Israel’s High Court of Justice more than a decade ago, and temporary arrangements allowing it were formally ended last year, obliging the government to begin drafting members of the community.

The ultra-Orthodox population has grown significantly over the decades and now accounts for around 14% of Israel’s total population, making the issue of conscription increasingly contentious.