Israel's veterans, once trained for battle on the front lines of war, have found themselves at the forefront of another kind of fight – one against what they see as an erosion of Israel's democracy. Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem over the weekend, with many of those gathered wearing brown shirts bearing the emblem of a group called "Brother and Sisters in Arms."
This organization is comprised largely of veterans, including many who served in elite military units, who have come together to protest what they see as a threat to Israel's democratic institutions. Their leader, Yiftach Golov, is no exception – the 40-year-old former special forces operative says he never thought he'd be fighting for civil liberties instead of enemy soldiers.
But with the Israeli government's proposed overhaul of its judicial system sparking widespread protests and violence, many veterans are finding themselves caught in the middle. The overhaul would give the governing parties more control over Israel's judiciary, a move that could undermine the country's democratic institutions.
Golov, who served in a special forces reconnaissance unit during the second intifada, says he was motivated to join the protests after witnessing firsthand the erosion of democracy in Israel. "We believe this is our responsibility to go once again called to the flag of the nation to stop this madness and defend Israel," he said.
While some veterans have taken to refusing service or even threatening not to train unless their demands are met, Golov says his group is focused on pushing for change through peaceful means. "We're fighting for justice and liberty, just like the American story," he said, referencing the values enshrined in Israel's Declaration of Independence.
Golov's sentiments were echoed by other members of Brother and Sisters in Arms, who were spread throughout the protests. One group even took to the streets carrying a figure wrapped in an Israeli flag on a stretcher, a nod to the way they would carry wounded comrades off the battlefield.
As the standoff between the protesters and Netanyahu continues, many are skeptical that the pause in the legislation is more than just a stalling tactic. "We will start doing deactivation only when we will know 100% that Israel state will stay a functional democratic country," Golov said, underscoring the determination of the veterans to see this fight through to its conclusion.
The Israeli government's refusal to back down has sparked widespread protests and violence, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets in Tel Aviv alone. While Netanyahu insists that the overhaul is necessary for national security, many protesters are more concerned about the erosion of their democracy.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear – Israel's veterans have found themselves at the forefront of a fight for the country's very soul. And with their experience and skill, they're not going down without a fight.
This organization is comprised largely of veterans, including many who served in elite military units, who have come together to protest what they see as a threat to Israel's democratic institutions. Their leader, Yiftach Golov, is no exception – the 40-year-old former special forces operative says he never thought he'd be fighting for civil liberties instead of enemy soldiers.
But with the Israeli government's proposed overhaul of its judicial system sparking widespread protests and violence, many veterans are finding themselves caught in the middle. The overhaul would give the governing parties more control over Israel's judiciary, a move that could undermine the country's democratic institutions.
Golov, who served in a special forces reconnaissance unit during the second intifada, says he was motivated to join the protests after witnessing firsthand the erosion of democracy in Israel. "We believe this is our responsibility to go once again called to the flag of the nation to stop this madness and defend Israel," he said.
While some veterans have taken to refusing service or even threatening not to train unless their demands are met, Golov says his group is focused on pushing for change through peaceful means. "We're fighting for justice and liberty, just like the American story," he said, referencing the values enshrined in Israel's Declaration of Independence.
Golov's sentiments were echoed by other members of Brother and Sisters in Arms, who were spread throughout the protests. One group even took to the streets carrying a figure wrapped in an Israeli flag on a stretcher, a nod to the way they would carry wounded comrades off the battlefield.
As the standoff between the protesters and Netanyahu continues, many are skeptical that the pause in the legislation is more than just a stalling tactic. "We will start doing deactivation only when we will know 100% that Israel state will stay a functional democratic country," Golov said, underscoring the determination of the veterans to see this fight through to its conclusion.
The Israeli government's refusal to back down has sparked widespread protests and violence, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets in Tel Aviv alone. While Netanyahu insists that the overhaul is necessary for national security, many protesters are more concerned about the erosion of their democracy.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear – Israel's veterans have found themselves at the forefront of a fight for the country's very soul. And with their experience and skill, they're not going down without a fight.
40-year-old former special forces operative Yiftach Golov says he never thought he'd be fighting for civil liberties instead of enemy soldiers. 
. These veteran protesters are literally putting their lives on the line to protect democracy? It sounds like they've been misled into supporting some wild cause. What's next? Are they gonna show up at the polls with their guns blazing? "We're fighting for justice and liberty" yada yada... it just seems like a bunch of people looking for attention 
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. This whole situation is giving me the heebie-jeebies 
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. BUT I GUESS THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS, RIGHT? 
. AND YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF A FIGHT – I MEAN, WHO NEEDS ALL THAT MILITARY TRAINING WHEN YOU'VE GOT PASSION ON YOUR SIDE? 
. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL LISTEN AND WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION THAT'S GOOD FOR EVERYONE 
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. Golov's message about being "fought for" by the people is fire 
the vets are so passionate about this it's crazy some ppl might think it's all good but when ur life & rights r on the line u gotta speak up 
100k+ ppl taking a stand 4 something thats really gonna make a diff 
, I gotta give 'em that. It's not just about being angry or upset, it's about standing up for what they believe in and fighting for the future of their country. The fact that they're putting themselves on the line to protect Israel's democracy is huge 
? Newsflash: it's gonna take more than just a few brown-shirted veterans to stop 'em 
. What's next, them trying to silence all dissenting voices on social media? 
. We need to keep pushing for transparency and accountability, or else we risk losing our democracy in the crossfire 
. The fact that hundreds of thousands are taking to the streets in Tel Aviv is a testament to how passionate these vets are about defending Israel's democracy.
And what's up with the 100% guarantee? That's just not how politics works 
. That's some serious commitment to change.
. One thing's for sure, though - this is gonna be one wild ride, and I'm both fascinated and terrified by it all 
, and yeah, Netanyahu's being super unreasonable about this whole thing 
these veterans are really scared that their country is losing its way and I think it's actually quite inspiring to see them standing up for what they believe in 
and i dont blame people for being skeptical