Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israelis protested planned autopsies for two infants who died at an unlicensed Jerusalem daycare, citing religious objections. Medics evacuated 55 children; a cause of death has not been confirmed, though media have pointed to possible heat-related causes. Violent clashes with police — who used water cannon and smoke grenades — led to arrests, while two caregivers are being held on suspicion of reckless manslaughter. Reportedly, Israel's supreme court later blocked the post-mortems after an appeal by the families.
Tensions Erupt as Ultra-Orthodox Israelis Protest Planned Autopsies of Two Infants
Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets of Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh and Bnei Brak to protest the possibility of the post-mortems (ilia yefimovich)(ilia yefimovich/AFP/AFP)
Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel staged volatile protests after two infants died at an unlicensed nursery in Jerusalem and authorities sought to carry out autopsies, which some community members oppose on religious grounds.
Background
Doctors pronounced two babies dead after medics evacuated 55 children from the daycare centre in a neighborhood largely inhabited by ultra-Orthodox families. Officials have not publicly confirmed the cause of death; Israeli media have suggested the facility's heating system may have contributed, raising the possibility of heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Legal And Public Response
A Jerusalem court initially authorised post-mortem examinations, prompting late Monday protests. According to Israel's Kan public broadcaster, the supreme court later overturned the lower court's ruling after the families appealed, reportedly blocking the planned autopsies.
Protests And Clashes
Despite the reported supreme court decision, demonstrations escalated on Tuesday in Jerusalem and in cities with large ultra-Orthodox populations, including Beit Shemesh and Bnei Brak. Police reported clashes with demonstrators; an AFP photographer described officers deploying water cannon and smoke grenades to disperse parts of the crowd.
Police said protesters were 'setting fire to and rolling dumpsters, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, attacking and clashing with civilians and police officers, and blocking trains and vehicles in an attempt to disrupt daily life.'
Arrests And Investigations
Authorities said 11 people were arrested during the unrest in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, including an individual accused of biting a police officer. Police also reported a protester struck by a vehicle and taken to hospital in moderate condition, and released footage showing dozens of ultra-Orthodox men surrounding a car from which a driver was reportedly rescued unharmed.
Kan reported that two caregivers from the nursery remain in custody on suspicion of reckless manslaughter, and their detention was extended. Investigations into the circumstances of the deaths, including possible links to the heating system, are ongoing.
Context
Certain hardline elements within the ultra-Orthodox community oppose autopsies on religious grounds, viewing interference with a body after death as a desecration under Torah law. Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 14 percent of Israel's Jewish population, roughly 1.3 million people.
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