Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered in Lower Manhattan on Sunday to protest Israel’s proposal to expand its draft to include strictly religious citizens in its military.Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered in Lower Manhattan on Sunday to protest Israel’s proposal to include strictly religious citizens in its military draft.
Clad in black garb and blasting Hebrew prayers over loudspeakers, the parade of demonstrators stretched several blocks in an area roped off by tight security.
The bill has opened a rift between Israel’s religious minority and its secular majority. Opponents of the legislation say that requiring religious men to serve in the military would interfere with religious education, but supporters say the bill would erase an unfair exemption from military service that is compulsory for other citizens.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, is expected to vote on the bill later this month.
