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| Israeli police officer injured after being hit by a stoneE |
(Scroll down for video) At least 8 Israeli police officers were injured after a large mob of ultra-Orthodox Jewish began throwing stones at them, according to a statement released by Israeli police.
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews protested in Jerusalem on Thursday against plans to enlist men of their community in the army, a proposal supported by most Israelis as a way of sharing of the burden on Israeli society.
A sea of black coats, the traditional attire of ultra-Orthodox men, crowded the streets of Jerusalem near a military recruitment office in the city where people heard rabbis warn that military service would irreparably harm their way of life.
The coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to increase participation of ultra-Orthodox men in the military, many of whom receive exemptions on religious grounds, in order to share the national burden and reduce the pressure on the middle class.
The party's finance minister, Yair Lapid, the main coalition partner of Netanyahu, received wide support at the polls in January promising to oppose the demands of the religious parties and to spread the burden of military service.
Police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld said at least 20,000 protesters took part and a dozen people were arrested when violence broke out as men began throwing bottles and stones at officers, some on horseback, who used stun grenades to quell the unrest.
A water cannon was also deployed as protesters set garbage containers on fire. At least six officers required medical treatment and additional two were taken to a hospital, Rosenfeld said.
“I was shocked to see how these ultra-Orthodox Jewish men were attacking police officer who were out there to protect them. If they disagree with a government policy that does not give them the right to stone police officers. I hope they are charged and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Also, the ultra-Orthodox Israeli Jews claim that they can’t do military service because they do not know how to fight, but I see they knew how to fight with the police officers,” Samuel Black, 31, of Brooklyn, New York told YourJewishNews.com after watching the video of the violence.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 10 percent of the population of 8 million in Israel. Most do not work, receive exemptions from military service, and rely heavily on state subsidies for religious studies and to support their families.Mobile video not loading? Click here to view