Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men protested Israel's military conscription Thursday, blocking a major Jerusalem junction and clashing with the police.
The protest, staged by members of the radical Jerusalem Faction, was triggered by the arrest of a haredi draft dodger earlier this week.
Demonstrators refused to heed police calls to move from the road, where rush-hour traffic had come to a halt, and clashed with police who were trying to remove them.
One policewoman was lightly hurt in the scuffle. The police arrested 46 protesters, most of whom were released within a few hours.
The issue of mandatory military service for the ultra-Orthodox sector has dogged Israeli politics for years. Many in the haredi community believe they should receive a blanket exemption from military conscription, which they see as secondary to Torah study, but secular Israelis oppose being expected to shoulder the burden without any contribution by a substantial sector of the population.
The police said in a statement that they would "take determined, firm-handed action against extremist ultra-Orthodox [protesters] who disrupt public order."
