Over 60 Haredi Protesters Vandalize Justice Sohlberg's Home Over Draft-Evasion Ruling
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jun 4
Over 60 Haredi Protesters Vandalize Justice Sohlberg's Home Over Draft-Evasion Ruling
3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jun 4
Summary
More than 60 ultra-Orthodox protesters were arrested after dozens attacked Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg’s home in Alon Shvut, smashing windows, damaging his car and vandalizing the property while he and his wife were inside.
The protest targeted Sohlberg’s role in a key High Court ruling ordering the state to enforce draft obligations against haredi evasion after the exemption framework expired in June 2023.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Defense Minister Israel Katz and judicial bodies condemned the attack, but the report argues official statements alone will not deter intimidation of judges.
The assault followed weeks of escalating anti-draft unrest — including blocked roads, disrupted rail lines near Ben-Gurion Airport and harassment of police at their homes — sharpening concerns over enforcement and the rule of law.
Can Israel's security needs and Haredi religious life coexist, or is a major societal schism now inevitable?
With court orders failing to compel enlistment, what is the government's next move to avert a constitutional crisis?
Israel’s Haredi Draft Crisis: Violent Protests, Supreme Court Rulings, and the Battle Over 90,000 Ultra-Orthodox Conscription Orders
Overview
On June 3, 2026, dozens of ultra-Orthodox protesters stormed the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg in Alon Shvut, reacting to the arrests of Haredim who had not complied with IDF draft orders. Prime Minister Netanyahu quickly condemned the violence, personally contacting Justice Sohlberg and urging law enforcement to act firmly. This incident highlights the deep and ongoing conflict over Haredi conscription in Israel, a struggle rooted in years of political and legal battles. The violent protest and government response underscore the growing tensions and instability surrounding the draft issue.