Reservist groups hang banners across country ahead of ‘day of resistance’

The Brothers and Sisters in Arms protest group made up of reservists kicks off a nationwide “day of resistance” against the judicial overhaul by hangings massive banners overnight at a number of key sites across the country.

A sign is hung on a statue of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism, at the entrance to the coastal city of Herzliya reading, “This is not what I intended” and a banner hangs at the Hemed interchange reading, “[Defense Minister Yoav] Gallant is destroying the people’s army,” referring by the warnings from reservists that they will not volunteer for service if overhaul legislation is unilaterally pushed through the Knesset.

Protests are ramping up this week as the coalition is planning to convene the Knesset plenum on Sunday — a day it does not traditionally meet — to pass the so-called “reasonableness” bill into law before parliament recesses at the end of the month.

Critics say the legislation to curtail judicial oversight is part of the government’s attempt to shield itself and its decisions from review, enabling it to appoint unqualified or corrupt officials and oust technocrats it has deemed disloyal. Supporters of the move say it is necessary to correct the overreaching of unelected judges interfering with the decisions of a democratically elected government.