The very loud and controverisal Israeli protest movement "Brothers in Arms" has criticized judicial authorities over the extended detention of four activists who allegedly fired flares at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence, calling it a "descent into dictatorship."
Brothers in Arms, formed by Israeli military reservists and veterans during the 2023 judicial reform protests, has been a leading voice in demonstrations against Netanyahu's government. The group initially gained prominence for its stance against proposed judicial reforms, with thousands of reservists threatening to withhold their voluntary military service in protest of what they viewed as democratic backsliding.
The controversy centers on four protesters who were arrested for firing illumination flares toward Netanyahu's Caesarea residence. They have been held in custody for over a month while awaiting trial on terrorism-related charges. The Shin Bet requested their continued detention, which was approved by the courts despite appeals.
In a strongly worded statement, Brothers in Arms condemned the detention: "We view with great concern the completely unreasonable detention of four protest activists for over a month and call for their release." The group argued that categorizing the protesters as security detainees and attributing terrorist intent to their actions represents "another attempt by the government to break the protest spirit."
The situation has created an unusual dynamic where Brothers in Arms, which typically supports state institutions as "democracy's gatekeepers," is now criticizing these same bodies. "Selective enforcement and using prolonged security detention as a political tool against protest activists are clear signs of descent into dictatorship," the group stated.
The organization maintained that while the flare incident may have been "a misguided action that ended in error," it should not be classified as terrorism. They concluded their statement by reaffirming their commitment to "determined and non-violent protest for an equal, Jewish and democratic Israel" – a position some observers noted as ironic given the nature of the flare incident.
The State Attorney's Office has characterized the flare-launching incident as a terrorist act that was executed with military-style planning, a designation that Brothers in Arms strongly disputes.
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