Haredi Riots over Military Draft Destabilize Netanyahu Coalition

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews launched nationwide protests on June 1 and 2, 2026, opposing the expansion of mandatory military conscription and the revocation of tax benefits for draft evaders. The unrest began with the arrest of a suspected draft dodger, triggering a riot in Beit Shemesh where extremists broke into a police station and set fire to nearby vegetation.

Violence escalated in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv metro area, where protesters blocked major arteries including Highway 1, Highway 4, and the Chords Bridge. Demonstrators set cars on fire, entered railway tracks in Ganot—forcing Israel Railways to suspend central services—and attacked a soldier. In Jerusalem, rioters smashed windows at the Har Hotzvim police station and attempted to storm the home of Police Traffic Division Commander Haim Shmueli. The Israel Police responded with water cannons, stun grenades, and mounted officers.

Political fallout has been immediate. The Forum of Haredi Local Authority Heads announced a suspension of all municipal cooperation with the police. Simultaneously, ultra-Orthodox parties withdrew their support from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, destabilizing his governing coalition and potentially accelerating fall elections. Opponents, including Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan, accused the government of emboldening deserters, while Haredi leaders warned that economic sanctions against yeshivas could trigger a tax revolt or civil unrest.