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		</div><p>Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators have clashed with police in two major Israeli cities, as authorities faced new difficulties in enforcing coronavirus restrictions in the country’s religious communities.</p>
<p>The clashes occurred in Jerusalem and Ashdod as police attempted to close religious schools that had opened in violation of lockdown orders.</p>
<p>Throughout the pandemic, many major ultra-Orthodox sects have flouted safety regulations, continuing to open schools, pray in synagogues and hold mass weddings in funerals.</p>
<p>This has contributed to a disproportionate infection rate, with the ultra-Orthodox community accounting for more than a third of Israel’s coronavirus cases, despite making up just over 10% of the population.</p>
<p>In Jerusalem, police fired tear gas and putrid-smelling water to disperse a crowd of hundreds of ultra-Orthodox residents outside a reopened school.</p>
<p>Demonstrators cried “get out of here, Nazis” at officers who were filmed arresting participants.</p>
<p>In the coastal city of Ashdod, police scuffled with dozens of protesters outside an ultra-Orthodox school.</p>
<p>Five officers were wounded in the disputes, and at least four people were arrested, police said.</p>
<p>With the country experiencing a raging coronavirus outbreak, the Israeli government last week extended the country’s third nationwide lockdown until the end of January.</p>
<p>The Health Ministry has recorded more than 595,000 cases of the virus since the start of the pandemic and 4,361 deaths.</p>
<p>New cases continue to climb, even as the country has launched a massive vaccination campaign.</p>
<p>Sunday’s clashes were the latest incident of heightened tensions over enforcement of lockdown rules in ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods.</p>
<p>On Friday, ultra-Orthodox Israelis attacked a police vehicle in the city of Bnei Brak, outside Tel Aviv. A crowd pelted the police car with stones and punctured its tyres.</p>
<p>Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israel will close its international airport to nearly all flights to help bring the virus outbreak under control.</p>
<p>The entry of highly contagious variants has contributed to one of the world’s highest rates of infection, and has threatened to undercut Israel’s successful vaccination campaign.</p>
<p>Late on Sunday, the Israeli cabinet approved what Mr Netanyahu said would be a tight closure on incoming and outgoing air traffic. The government said it would make exceptions for a small number of humanitarian cases, such as funerals and medical patients, and cargo flights.</p>
<p>The order is to begin early on Tuesday and remain in effect until January 31. Mr Netanyahu’s office said the order still requires parliamentary legislation to be finalised.</p>
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