Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Group Chases Female Israeli Soldiers in Protest Against Compulsory Military Service
Two female Israeli soldiers were chased by a group of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in the city of Bnei Brak on Sunday (15 February). The incident, which sparked unrest and required riot police intervention, is linked to rules mandating military service for all Israeli citizens, including the ultra-Orthodox community.
Several videos circulating on social media showed female IDF soldiers running through streets strewn with rubbish and overturned bins.
In the same footage, police were seen forming protective barricades. More than 20 people were arrested, according to media reports following the incident.
According to multiple reports, the IDF soldiers were in the Bnei Brak area to carry out conscription duties. For decades, ultra-Orthodox Jews had been exempt from military service. However, the Israeli government’s plans to change these rules have recently provoked anger within the community.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident involving the female IDF soldiers, calling it “unacceptable”.
“Those who are protesting are an extreme minority who do not represent the entire Haredi [ultra-Orthodox] community,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.
“We will not allow anarchy, and we will not tolerate any harm to IDF members and security forces who carry out their duties with dedication and determination,” Netanyahu said.
Jewish religious leaders also condemned the actions of the ultra-Orthodox groups involved in the unrest.
Riot police in Bnei Brak, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, used grenades to disperse the crowd. Police arrested 23 people following the disturbance.
Three police officers were reported injured and several police vehicles were damaged. A patrol car was overturned and a police motorcycle was set alight.
When the clashes erupted, several female IDF soldiers were conducting an official visit to the home of another soldier, Israeli television station Kan reported.
The ultra-Orthodox population currently accounts for 14 per cent of Israel’s population.
At the end of 2025, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the largest anti-conscription protest organised by ultra-Orthodox Israelis in recent years.
The conscription issue has intensified since the armed conflict in Gaza following 7 October 2023.
The Israeli government is currently debating a bill that would require ultra-Orthodox men to undertake compulsory military service. Those affected would be men not currently enrolled in full-time religious studies.
Since the State of Israel was declared in 1948, students fully enrolled in religious schools or yeshivas have been exempt from military service.
More than a decade ago, the exemption was declared unconstitutional by the Israeli Supreme Court.
The exemption has since been formally suspended by the court. The government has begun enforcing conscription within the community.
The ultra-Orthodox population has more than doubled its share of Israel’s total population over the past seven decades, now reaching 14 per cent.