Ultra-Orthodox rioters briefly breach base that houses military prison, courts

Ultra-Orthodox rioters on Wednesday evening breached the Israel Defense Forces’ Beit Lid Base, which houses the Neve Tzedek Prison and military courts, the military said, amid the ongoing battle over the Haredi draft.

The IDF said an illegal protest began outside the base and the “protesters acted violently and entered the military area.”

Military Police forces removed all rioters from the base, the IDF said, adding that “the incident has concluded.”

There were no reports of injuries or arrests.

The ultra-Orthodox community opposes military service, which is mandatory for most Jewish Israelis. Sanctions and arrests have increasingly been implemented against Haredi draft dodgers as the justice system has engaged in crackdowns, while the government — which is dependent on ultra-Orthodox support — attempts to legislate exemptions for the community.

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The rioters had arrived at the base to protest the arrest of a Haredi draft evader. They reportedly clashed with Israeli soldiers outside the base before breaching the perimeter fence.

התעמתו עם חיילים בשער: מפגינים חרדים הגיעו למחות על מעצר עריק – ופרצו לתוך כלא 10

תיעודים נוספים | https://t.co/Q9jlvWwBLx pic.twitter.com/mTa1RiMMdc

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) July 8, 2026

Footage showed soldiers tussling with Haredi men.

According to Channel 12, the protesters, including men, women, and children, arrived on three buses. The front gates of the base were reportedly open when the demonstrators arrived, and they were easily able to walk through them before being confronted by soldiers inside.

עימותים אלימים הלילה בין חרדים לבין חיילים בכלא 10 סמוך לבית ליד pic.twitter.com/tbewioVbZL

— איתי בלומנטל ???????? Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) July 8, 2026

Channel 12 said the demonstrators were protesting on behalf of a draft evader who was arrested during another Haredi protest last month, when dozens of rioters attacked the home of Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg.

Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir once again stressed that the military needs more troops for the missions it has been tasked with.

“We must significantly expand the ranks of the IDF so that it can meet all the missions assigned to it. The responsibility rests with all of us — the IDF needs everyone,” he said at a ceremony at Israel’s National Security College.

“We must not exempt ourselves from the burden of the commandment to defend the state, it is an operational necessity and a Zionist and moral duty,” Zamir added.

Calls for Haredi conscription have mounted as Israel has fought wars on a multiple fronts since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, while facing a growing manpower shortage. The IDF has repeatedly said it urgently needs 12,000 more recruits, and Zamir has reportedly warned ministers that the army will “collapse in on itself” if it does not get more manpower.

Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18-24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted.

Ultra-Orthodox parties have sought to preserve military service exemptions following a 2024 High Court ruling that found them unconstitutional, leading to some state benefits being curtailed.

Last week, the Knesset advanced a highly controversial Basic Law declaring Torah study a foundational value of the State of Israel, which is intended to shield draft evaders from sanctions and prosecution. Absent a constitution, Basic Laws in Israel have the highest legal status in the country.