Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) sent a letter to Elor Azariya's lawyer, requesting Azariya's team break contact with the Israeli media.
In a letter publicized on Kol Israel Radio on Sunday morning, Liberman wrote, "You must immediately cease involving the media in this issue. The media attention is only harming you. What we need to do is bring this ugly case to its close and allow the defense system to continue working undisturbed.
"I am sorry for the way this issue was handled, it was mishandled from the very beginning and until now. I believe, and I have said this several times before, that mistakes were made from the very first second, and those mistakes have forced us into a place we should never have reached.
"As is well known, my opinion is that we must remember we are talking about an excellent IDF soldier on the one hand, and a terrorist who attempted to kill IDF soldiers on the other. I am not a lawmaker and I have no intention of involving myself in the professional side of the matter. I also have no way of knowing how successful an appeal would be.
"As Defense Minister, I agree with the vast majority of Israeli citizens. I feel distinctly uncomfortable with the court's ruling. I am constantly thinking about Elor's welfare, and I feel compassion for him and his family. I also worry for the IDF's strength and the nation's unity," Liberman wrote.
"I am sure we should wait a bit and stop involving the media. The media only harms us," he concluded.