Violence and slurs from some of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews in battle over coronavirus lockdowns

Some of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews are resorting to violence and extreme slurs in a battle over coronavirus restrictions.

At the immediate heart of the tensions is the refusal of some elements within the community to observe tough lockdown regulations that ban gatherings of more than five people inside and 10 outdoors. More widely, police actions against them are seen by many Israelis as a long overdue effort to end the exceptionalism that has characterized the ultra-Orthodox for decades. It's allowed them to shirk military service, live on state benefits and often act as king makers in Israeli politics, critics and political rivals say.