Thousands March in Jerusalem Against Haredi Draft, Labeling IDF 'Enemy Army'

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox demonstrators marched through Jerusalem to protest compulsory conscription and rally in support of draft evaders recently released from military prison, Arutz Sheva and Kikar HaShabbat reported. According to the reports, the demonstration sparked public outrage after participants carried signs calling the IDF an "enemy army" and referring to detained evaders as "hostages."

According to Arutz Sheva, nearly 100 draft evaders attended the rally. Outlet Kikar HaShabbat noted that many of those detained were young men arrested upon returning to Israel after traveling to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the march took place around the Kikar HaShabbat area and along Shmuel HaNavi and Bar Ilan streets, with participants chanting slogans such as "rather die than be drafted."