Violence escalates in Israel amid ultra-Orthodox military draft protests

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men brought city centers across central Israel to a halt on Thursday night, protesting the arrest of fellow adherents for refusing military conscription. Their objection is not moral but religious: they view army service as diluting their faith. The issue divides Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, threatening to bring down the government. A bill to exempt religious students from the draft is advancing in parliament.