A mass ultra-Orthodox Jewish rally against military conscription turned deadly in Jerusalem on Tuesday, when a teenage boy was crushed and killed after a man driving a bus hit the crowd.<\/p>\n
The Israeli police said they detained the driver and are investigating.<\/p>\n
Video of the scene shows a bus driving straight into a crowd of ultra-Orthodox men at the demonstration, attended by thousands. Reuters could not immediately contact the driver while in police custody and police have not released his name.<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s Magen David Adom emergency services said the 18-year-old, who had been trapped under the bus, was pronounced dead on the scene.<\/p>\n
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews had taken to the streets to protest a law to conscript them to the army<\/a>, as the military faces manpower shortages after two years of war on multiple fronts.<\/p>\n Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men protest against army recruitment. Photograph: Ohad Zwigenberg\/AP<\/p>\n Mass demonstrations against the law have been taking place on a regular basis in recent months.<\/p>\n According to a police statement, Tuesday\u2019s protest turned violent after \u201ca small group of rioters began violently disturbing public order, including by blocking traffic routes, damaging buses, setting trash bins on fire, throwing objects and eggs at police officers and Border Police, shouting invective, and assaulting journalists working at the scene\u201d.<\/p>\n The police added that the bus \u201cwas blocked by rioters who were … obstructing the route\u201d. The driver was arrested and under questioning alleged \u201cthat he was assaulted by rioters, after which the unfortunate incident occurred\u201d.<\/p>\n A drone view shows Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men as they protest. Photograph: Ilan Rosenberg\/Reuters<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a>, has been under pressure from the opposition and some coalition partners to increase the number of military recruits, but ultra-Orthodox party leaders \u2013 traditionally Netanyahu allies \u2013 oppose the conscription of religious students, who form a large part of their constituency.<\/p>\n Under a ruling established at the time of Israel\u2019s creation in 1948, men who devote themselves full-time to studying Jewish texts are given a de facto pass from mandatory military service<\/a>.<\/p>\n