July 16, 2012
Extremist haredi Orthodox protest universal conscription
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Thousands of members of a haredi Orthodox sect protested in Jerusalem against a planned universal military service law.
The members of the extremist Eda Haredit sect, which does not recognize secular law, protested Monday evening.
The protest reportedly began with prayer and continued with young children marching chained to each other carrying signs that said “Save me.”
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said earlier Monday that he would extend the Knesset’s current session, and not send lawmakers on summer break, until a conscription law that includes the haredi Orthodox is drafted.
In February, the Israeli Supreme Court declared that the Tal Law, which allowed haredi Orthodox men to defer service indefinitely, to be unconstitutional, and set Aug. 1 as the deadline for a new law to be passed.
