Media personality Irit Linor sent a letter to the President Isaac Herzog demanding to cancel the President's award to the Brothers in Arms protest organization. In a post she published, Linor shared that she is acquainted with the President due to the fact that both pray at the same synagogue in their neighborhood in North Tel Aviv. "Who would believe that Brothers in Arms, the organization that among its misdeeds called for refusal and even boasted about 10,000 reservists who announced a 'voluntary cessation of service,' would receive a volunteer award from the President? Not me, and that's why I wrote to him," she shared in a post. In her letter to the President, she wrote: "Dear Isaac, with respect, first – you read the Book of Ruth and the Haftarah (a section of Prophets or Writings read after the Torah on Shabbat and Holidays) wonderfully. Congratulations!" "Regarding Brothers in Arms, I hear you intend to give them the volunteer award, and regarding the President's office's claim that 'it should be emphasized and clarified that there is no connection between the awarding of the badge to the civilian HQ which is a separate entity and its activities are managed separately from the activities of the Brothers in Arms protesters. The 'civilian HQ' is an arm of 'Brothers in Arms' and one does not need to be a police investigator to know that. They themselves state the connection between the organizations on their homepage and do not hide their political goals." She quoted what is written on the Brothers in Arms website: "Since October 7th we have been mobilized for significant actions and spreading great light in the people of Israel. We intend to continue this important activity, and at the same time we are preparing for the day when we will return to lead the way and make our voice heard loud and clear. To this end, we are splitting the activity into two associations: the first - Brothers and Sisters for Israel, where the association will continue its important activities and will focus on assistance and contribution to the state and society in Israel, in everything needed for mending, reconciliation, rehabilitation, construction, and growth. The second - Brothers and Sisters in Arms for Democracy, which will continue to bear the democratic flag, lead, promote, develop and realize the vision of the State of Israel as a united, Jewish and democratic state". Linor continued and wrote to Herzog: "I assume the split was made to get tax exemption under Section 46, as MK Moshe Gafni did, to deceive those who believe that splitting associations means separate entities and of course to make people forget the fact that Brothers in Arms is a violent and bullying organization that among its actions can be enumerated a siege on the Kohelet Forum and an assault on the CEO, illegal road blocking, attempts to prevent Minister Yariv Levin from leaving his house to vote on one of the reform clauses, rolling a garbage can onto his car, throwing fake money bills at haredim and that's just the tip of the iceberg." "There are those who forgot - or try to make forgotten, that Brothers in Arms led a broad move of ending reservist service and encouraging refusal to serve," Linor reminded. "Some supported and some probably didn't care. And some forgave. It is important to emphasize that Brothers in Arms themselves have never expressed remorse for the mass refusal they led, and worse: none of them were prosecuted for this act." She added: "One of the organization's leaders, Ron Sherf, declared during the protest against the reform that he would not go to war if the override clause law passes. This is an organization that will be remembered with great shame, even if your buddies like it. No act of volunteerism after October 7 will wash what they did before it." She further added that "The 'civilian HQ' was established by Brothers in Arms who also proudly published its actions. There is no real separation here, other than the logo and the organization. And you know that, since when you met with the members of the civilian HQ on October 22 most of them wore Brothers in Arms shirts. Next to you sat Eyal Naveh, also one of the leaders of Brothers in Arms and an advocate of refusal to serve. Naveh is one of the founders of the 'Civilian HQ' and registered as a board member on the associations' website of the Ministry of Justice". "In short – you yourself know who the civilian HQ is. I suspect you simply do not think that what Brothers in Arms did is so terrible, otherwise it would not have occurred to you to award them anything. This is a prize for bullies and those who refuse to serve and a stain on your tenure as President."
