Benjamin Netanyahu appealed for calm after a bus ran over and killed 17‑year‑old yeshiva student Yosef Eisenthal during a Jerusalem protest against proposed ultra‑Orthodox conscription. Video shows the bus dragging the teen amid chaotic scenes; police arrested and questioned the driver, who said he had been attacked. Authorities said protesters had been blocking the road and confronting officers. The incident highlights deepening tensions over military service for Haredim and creates a political headache for Netanyahu's coalition.
Netanyahu Calls For Restraint After Bus Kills Ultra‑Orthodox Teen During Draft Protest
Israeli police inspect a bus following an incident in which it hit ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators blocking a road during a protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, urged calm after a public bus ran over and killed a teenage yeshiva student during a protest in Jerusalem on Tuesday night against a proposed law to expand military conscription for the ultra‑Orthodox community.
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The victim was identified as Yosef Eisenthal, a 17‑year‑old yeshiva student. Video of the demonstration obtained by The Associated Press showed the bus dragging him for meters before running him over amid chaotic scenes as bystanders pushed and screamed.
Israeli police inspect a bus following an incident in which it hit ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators blocking a road during a protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
"I call for restraint to prevent the mood from becoming further inflamed so that, heaven forbid, we do not have additional tragedies," Netanyahu said in a statement early Wednesday, adding that the death will be thoroughly investigated.
What Authorities Say
Police detained and questioned the bus driver; the force's spokesperson said the driver told investigators he was attacked by protesters before the vehicle struck the teenager. Authorities also reported that demonstrators had been blocking the roadway and acting violently toward officers, hurling eggs and other objects at police.
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Context And Political Fallout
The incident underscored rising tensions between Israeli authorities and the ultra‑Orthodox, known as Haredim, as the government considers legislation to expand military service requirements for that community. When the state was founded in 1948, a small number of outstanding ultra‑Orthodox scholars were exempted from mandatory conscription; over the decades those exemptions have increased with support from influential religious parties.
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men protest against army recruitment in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Many secular Israelis support reducing or ending the broad exemptions, especially those who have been mobilized repeatedly during the recent war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. Proposals to draft more ultra‑Orthodox reservists have prompted fierce opposition and occasional violent resistance from religious protesters, who argue that military service would disrupt their way of life.
The clash presents a political dilemma for Netanyahu, who depends on the parliamentary support of religious parties and must balance coalition stability with public pressure to reform conscription rules. The prime minister ordered a full investigation into the accident while appealing for restraint to prevent further escalation.
