The Brothers in Arms group, established to remove the judicial reform from the government’s agenda, has long since stopped focusing on the reform legislation and leads weekly demonstrations against the coal.
A look at the WhatsApp groups of Brothers in Arms shows that the activists, most of them reservists, are preparing for demonstrations with complete secrecy reminiscent of preparations for a military operation.
Ahead of the demonstrations on the eve of Shavuot a few meters from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s house on Gaza Street in Jerusalem, “the brave soldiers of democracy” were called to join “an activity with a strong impact and a moderate level of friction”.

Activists were invited to join the protest, but only on the eve of the holiday in the early hours of the morning were we informed that it would be held near the Netanyahu family home. “Tomorrow, early Thursday morning, at dawn, we will arrive to remind Netanyahu that we are ready to fight.”
From the general WhatsApp groups of “Brothers in Arms”, those interested were invited to enter a designated group for the protest last Thursday, but not everyone was allowed to enter the group. “Update regarding the operation: Thanks to everyone who has joined. The approvals take time, there is no need to contact us about it by private message. We will, of course, be happy if more people join and even more if each and every one of you brings four more people with him. More updates later”.
On Wednesday evening, a few hours before the “operation” began, the activists were informed of the details of the protest: “Good evening to all the soldiers of democracy. Thank you for taking part in writing history.”
“We will meet at parking lot #9 at Latrun (a historical site on the road to Jerusalem) at 6:00 AM. Hot coffee will be waiting for you there, after which we will quickly board the buses that will bring us to our destination. They will return us there at the end of the operation at 11:00 AM.”
Those who did not plan to come to the demonstration, the details of which they did not yet know at this stage, were asked to leave the group: “Please take into account that everyone who gets on the bus will be asked to submit a photo of their identification and face. The photo will not be used. Phones will be kept in a box in the front of the vehicle. Apologies for the inconvenience. Together we will win”
Shortly before midnight, the activists were asked to arrive with their Brothers in Arms shirts on backwards: “Good night or morning. Please come with your Brothers in Arms shirts reversed. In Latrun, keep a low profile, park vehicles in legal places where we won’t get fines, and please refrain from bringing weapons. See you at 6:00 for coffee.”
Upon their arrival in Latrun starting at 6:00 in the morning, the activists were informed of the destination of the protest and from there they went to demonstrate outside the residence of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Gaza Street in Jerusalem. The police ordered the demonstrators to evacuate the place and dispersed them by force. Two demonstrators who disturbed public order and disobeyed the police’s instructions were detained for questioning. “We came to tell the dictator to stop the judicial revolution,” said the demonstrators. “The US is boycotting you, you are endangering Israel’s security.”