Journalist and former MK Sharon Gal, who has been accompanying soldier Elor Azariya and his family since the day of the terror attack in Hevron which set the whole trial in motion, said this morning that he is spearheading a campaign to raise more money to fund Azariya’s legal expenses. The trial is, at this point, in the appeals stage.
The judge of the appeals court had proposed that the two sides try to come to mediation. It is still unclear whether the sides will come to an agreement or whether the court will have to make a ruling in the appeal.
“I posted on Facebook all the expenses there have been since the beginning of the trial - which is an expensive one. We raised 592 thousand shekels in one year, everything was paid to attorneys and experts, and I succeeded in paying [Azariya’s attorney Yoram] Sheftel part of that amount, but we need more money. I promised that I would help with funding, and I am doing it on a completely volunteer basis. I hope that the nation of Israel will rise to the challenge,” Gal said.
In an interview with Army Radio, he said that “All my work for Azariya is from the heart, and I am proud to help and support this wonderful family, whose whole world collapsed.”
Regarding the mediation process proposed by the judge, Gal said, “It’s not a sign of weakness to agree to mediation, it’s a sign of strength.” He said that Attorney Yoram Sheftel , who submitted the appeal and is accompanying Azariya, “takes, in general, half a million to a million dollars.”
“The organization that I head is paying one 100 thousand shekels, when he generally takes half a million to a million dollars. That’s almost only a return of expenses as far as he’s concerned.”