Two weeks before the anti-Netanyahu Black Flags protest movement would have commemorated a year since the start of the Balfour protests, the movement announced on Thursday evening that it would be disbanding for the time being, after accomplishing its goal of "removing the immediate threat to Israeli democracy."
In a Facebook post, the movement — which officially began its demonstrations around 15 months ago — declared "a historic victory" for the movement, claiming they had reached their goals.
"Our beloved country faced the greatest threat since its inception — The dismantling of the democratic system and it becoming a dictatorship," the statement reads.
The movement claimed that former prime minister and current opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu — which they refer to as the "criminal defendant" due to his ongoing bribery trial — "kidnapped the state and embarked on a campaign in which he planned to dismantle the judicial authorities, use the Israeli police as an executive arm of his government and make us all his subjects."
"Along the way, he did everything to unravel Israeli society from its greatest power — its mutual respect and sense of comradery," the movement — which has led national weekly protests every Saturday night, with the main event being the Balfour Jerusalem protests — continued:
"When we set off with a black flag in hand and joined the protest veterans, we could not imagine what would come," the movement said. "The incredible mobilization from all over the country, the hundreds of thousands of citizens who went out to intersections, bridges, demonstrations, to [the prime minister's residence on] Balfour [Street in Jerusalem]. The dozens of organizations and initiatives that arose from the call for the struggle for state defense."
The movement's final protest took place nearly two weeks ago, the night before the swearing in of the unity government that would knock Netanyahu out of power after 12 years. The following night, the same protesters who had grown so used to shouting their anger, had finally allowed themselves to shout with joy - even going so far as to bring a foam cannon to Tel Aviv's famous Rabin Square.
The movement thanked the many supporters of the movement, saying that "The wall that protected Israeli democracy was made up of everyone who wrote a Facebook post, persuaded a friend, set up a WhatsApp group, set up a local initiative, donated their time and money and took to the streets. Without you, the defendant would have remained in the prime minister's chair and Israeli democracy was under existential threat."
On the new government, the movement seemed optimistic, saying that "Now is the time for the elected leadership to rebuild the systems and work to strengthen democracy and all that that entails. We cleared the way for them. We now put down our black flag and proudly wave the flag of the State of Israel."
"From the first moment we had a clear belief: nothing can stand in the way of millions of people calling for change," the movement continued. "Civic assemblies and organizations are at the forefront of democracy. They determine the future of the country."
Regarding the immediate future of the many communication networks the movement has set up, the movement said that "In the coming days, we will deal with the documentation, coverage and summary of all these organizations. The main update groups will then stop for good."
The movement concluded its message by saying that "We are proud of the local communities that were created during protests at the bridges, at the intersections and throughout the country, and we are sure that with the tools and knowledge that has been accumulated, new and important initiatives will be set up in order to move the State of Israel forward to a better place. Long live the state of Israel!"