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Masses of ultra-Orthodox Israelis flooded Jerusalem on Thursday, praying and protesting moves to draft seminary students, as the government seeks a compromise after the Supreme Court said there was no legal basis for exemptions. Demonstrators blocked major roads near the city’s western entrance; a stretch of the Jerusalem Tel Aviv highway and the train station were closed. The army says it needs 12,000 soldiers and has sent draft notices; arrests of refusers stoked fury. Netanyahu’s coalition weighs a bill critics say preserves broad exemptions, deepening a cultural rift over faith, service, and citizenship.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.