Ultra-Orthodox Jews battle with Israeli police and eight are arrested as they protest against court ruling that they must serve in the military
- A protest held by hundreds from the ultra-Orthodox group Eda Haredit took place in Jerusalem on Sunday
- The protest became violent as demonstrators blocked roads and resisted efforts to disperse them by police
- Eight rioters were arrested after they became violent and threw stones at officers, police said in a statement
- Last week's Supreme Court decision strikes down a law exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service
Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews scuffled with police in Jerusalem on Sunday in protest against a court ruling that could require them to serve in the army like secular Israelis.
The
demonstration in an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood of the city was
organised by a particularly hardline group known as the Eda Haredit.
Rabbis
gave speeches in Yiddish in the Mea Shearim neighbourhood, while a
banner read: 'We're Jews and therefore will not enlist in the Zionist
army.'
Israeli police use water cannon
to disperse Ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators blocking a main junction
as they protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem on Sunday
The protest (pictured above)
came after the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a goverment bill exempting
Haredi service from the Israeli army
The demonstration in an
ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood of the city was organised by a particularly
hardline group known as the Eda Haredit
Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish
men are sprayed with water during clashes with police at a protest
against the detention of a member of their community who refuses to
serve in the Israeli army
Israeli Border Police arrest an
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators blocking a main junction as they
protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem
Israeli policemen carry an
ultra-Orthodox Jewish youth during clashes at a protest against the
detention of an ultra-Orthodox man who refuses to serve in the Israeli
army
The protest became violent when
demonstrators blocked roads and resisted efforts to disperse them by
riot police, mounted officers and water cannon.
'Eight rioters who used violence against police were arrested,' a police statement said in Hebrew.
'They lay down in the road, shouting slogans against the police, some of them threw stones at police,' the statement added.
Last
week's Israeli Supreme Court decision strikes down a law exempting
ultra-Orthodox men engaged in religious study from military service,
saying it undermines equality.