In January 2023, the newly-formed Israeli government announced its intention to carry out legislation aimed at irreversibly weakening the Supreme Court in its role as custodian of human rights and democratic values. It was, in the words of former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, tantamount to “a regime coup”.

Brothers and Sisters in Arms was formed within days by a group of military reservists who came together to ensure the long-term existence of Israel as a Jewish, egalitarian and vibrant democracy, in accordance with Israel’s Declaration of Independence. In short, we set out to halt the proposed coup.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined us, spilling onto the streets across the country and across all divides. Some two million Israelis – young and old, religious and secular, from both the political right and the left – joined the anti-coup protests and made their voices heard.

Brothers and Sisters in Arms is now the most influential and prominent pro-democracy movement in Israel.