The incident has heightened tensions in a country already fractured by the debate on equality in mandatory service.
According to video recordings obtained during the protest, a public bus dragged the young man for several meters before running over him, while onlookers shouted and struggled in a chaotic environment. The rescue service Magen David Adom confirmed that the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene. Meanwhile, the Israeli police arrested and interrogated the vehicle's driver, who claimed to have been attacked by the protesters before the fatal incident. Authorities described the protest as a "violent disturbance," noting that the protesters threw eggs and other objects at officers, as well as blocked roads, actions that "endanger human lives."
This outburst of violence is the result of decades of friction between the authorities and the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox). Historically, since the founding of the State in 1948, a small number of religious scholars were granted exemptions from military service, but the political weight of religious parties has allowed this benefit to extend to a much larger population over the years. Currently, many secular Israelis, especially those who have served on multiple fronts in the war against Hamas in Gaza, demand the elimination of these exemptions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now faces a critical political dilemma, as his government directly depends on the support of religious parties in Parliament, who believe that military service would destroy their way of life. Following the incident, Netanyahu urged moderation to prevent further social unrest and promised a thorough investigation into Eisenthal's death.