MK Etty Atia (Likud) appealed to Mifal Hapayis, the National Lottery, to re-examine the financial grant given to the filmmakers who produced Leah Tsemel - Advocate, that tells the story of a lawyer who represented terrorist murderers.
In a letter sent by MK Atia she wrote: "I hereby join the call of the bereaved families regarding suspending the grant under your auspices that the filmmakers are supposed to receive, at an amount of NIS150,000."
Atia says awarding the prize is "poking a finger in the red eyes of the bereaved families, who know no rest in dealing with the deaths of their loved ones."
MK Atia asked at the end of the letter: "Do not let this spoil the dozens of good things that Mifal Hapayis is doing for the citizens of the State of Israel."
Mifal Hapayis' intention to award a monetary prize to the film's creators aroused protest among bereaved families who even demonstrated in front of Mifal Hapayis offices demanding the grant be canceled. The protest aroused anger among Mifal Hapayis subscribers and many of them asked to cancel the subscription.
The "Choosing Life" forum of bereaved families, accompanied by the Im Tirtzu movement, said: "The protest that's been growing in recent days plus the cancellation of hundreds of subscribers is a wake-up call to Mifal Hapayis. The sane public doesn't want its money to reach the hands of a filmmaker who chose to glorify the 'terrorist advocate'. The blood of our children isn't worthless. We'll make sure to remind everyone who forgets."
B'Tzalmo Director Shai Glick said: "The money from Mifal Hapayis is intended to help Israeli society, not to glorify those who defend base terrorists, a serious mistake that can still be corrected, since the money has not yet been transferred. We demand that Mifal Hapayis hear the voice of the people and lottery subscribers and cancel the prize grant."
Bereaved families at demonstration (Hebrew):