Several Jewish ultra-Orthodox men clashed with Israeli police in central Jerusalem in protest against a supreme court ordering their enlistment for military service.
This followed a rally on Sunday night in an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood against the landmark decision last week. After nightfall, the crowd moved to central Jerusalem where the protests turned violent.
Protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox cabinet minister, pelting it with stones. Police used skunk-scented water cannon to disperse the angry protesters.
In Israel, military service is mandatory for most Jewish men and women. However, the politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties have won exemptions for their followers to opt out for military service and instead study in religious seminaries.
The longstanding arrangement has bred resentment among the broader public, a sentiment that has grown stronger during the eight-month war against Palestinian Resistance group, Hamas.
