IDF reservist group says it will pause protests after PM calls for overhaul halt

A protest group representing reservist soldiers announces it is pausing its activities following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to delay the judicial overhaul, but vows to resume if the government moves ahead with the legislation.

“According to [Netanyahu], this halt was made with the intention of giving time for negotiations. We — like the majority of the people — do not believe the words, do not believe that there is a real intention to reach a broad agreement. We only believe in actions,” the Brothers in Arms group says in a statement.

“At the same time, as principled reserve volunteers who led the country every time the country called us, and after deep thought and [a sense of] national responsibility for the unity of the people… we decided to give the negotiation process a chance,” the group says.

But the protesters say: “We are ready and organized to renew the protest in a short time.”

“Brothers in Arms will resume active protest actions with full force immediately if it turns out that the time allowed for talks is being cynically used to further damage democracy,” the group adds.