After the traffic disruptions caused by visits from President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Israelis will once again need patience on Thursday as sweeping road closures are expected during the ultra-Orthodox “million rally” protesting the military draft.
Despite its name, police are preparing for about half a million demonstrators to gather near Jerusalem’s main entrance, which will be almost completely closed to private vehicles.
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Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators protest against the military draft in Jerusalem in August
(Photo:Mahmoud Illean/ AP)
The rally will unite a wide range of ultra-Orthodox factions in protest of the arrest of yeshiva students, most notably a student from the prestigious Ateret Shlomo seminary. Supporters have controversially compared his arrest to the plight of the hostages in Gaza. The event is scheduled from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will consist solely of prayers and the recitation of Psalms, with no political speeches.
The protest area will stretch from the Chords Bridge to the city entrance and along major roads including Yirmiyahu, Shazar, Jaffa, Sarei Yisrael, and Malchei Yisrael streets.
Police announced that starting at noon Thursday, Highway 1—the main route linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—will be closed in both directions between Latrun and Givat Shaul, including access via Route 16 and Sha’ar HaGai. Entry to the city will be permitted only for pre-arranged buses, which will be directed to designated drop-off areas.
Private vehicles leaving the city will be allowed to use the Har HaArazim tunnel, Route 16, and Route 443, though heavy congestion is expected. Within Jerusalem, the city’s entrance, surrounding neighborhoods, and downtown will be closed intermittently, leading to severe traffic jams.
Authorities warn the closures will effectively isolate Jerusalem from central Israel for several hours. The Transportation Ministry said public transport services will be reinforced as needed, but no pre-scheduled additions have been announced. Israel Railways is considering whether to add extra trains, as it did for large public events earlier this week.
Police urged the public to avoid the area entirely, follow navigation app updates, and heed officers’ instructions. Any attempt to block unauthorized roads, light fires, fly drones, or damage property will be met with firm enforcement, the statement said.
Although organizers coordinated the event with authorities, the unprecedented scale of the closures has sparked frustration among residents and drivers. Experts warn of serious disruptions to both public and private transportation, potentially leading to what they describe as a “near-total paralysis” of traffic.
The rally comes after the arrest of Ariel Shamai, a student at the Ateret Shlomo yeshiva in Rishon Lezion. Ultra-Orthodox leaders view his detention as a red line, since unlike in previous cases, he is a full-time yeshiva student. The arrest has inflamed tensions within the coalition and drawn protests from ultra-Orthodox politicians as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to pass legislation that would effectively exempt thousands of yeshiva students from military service.
The demonstration will include participants from the Lithuanian, Hasidic, and Sephardic communities and their respective spiritual leaders. There will be no political speeches. Each group will stand in designated areas led by its rabbi or Rebbe, while a cantor leads public prayers.
Rabbi Dov Landau, a leading Lithuanian spiritual authority, issued a statement in the ultra-Orthodox daily Yated Ne’eman urging participants to avoid confrontations with police. “It is our duty to exercise extreme caution and to fulfill the commandment to guard your lives diligently,” he wrote. “Heads of yeshivas and educators must warn their students not to engage in any clashes with authorities, but only to participate in prayer and sanctify God’s name by their conduct.”
He added that women and girls across the country should stay home and recite Psalms during the rally. Married women in Jerusalem who wish to attend may gather in a separate, remote area designated for them “to maintain modesty.”
At the same time, reservists, bereaved families, wounded IDF veterans, and student groups plan a counter-protest near the Chords Bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem.