In an exclusive interview with the Shas-affiliated Yom L’Yom newspaper, Shlomo Benizri reports that he is amazed just how busy the local media is attacking him for his statements following his release from prison. Benizri did not waste any time, attacking the High Court, Justice Edmond Levi and the judicial system for wrongful imprisonment. Despite his conviction, he insists he is innocent and he plans to dedicate himself to proving this in the future.

Benizri admits that in prison, he lived with the constant realization that his family was crying due to his absence, but in addition, he cried many tears for Gilad Shalit. “I say this with total sincerity and those incarcerated with me can verify this. Only I can really know and understand his pain, the frustration of sitting in jail.

“I simply said what I think and I think the right to think so too, my pain is greater because who judged me and took me to jail, it’s my brother. My own brother. Jewish brothers. They were cruel to me and threw me into prison for no reason, to bring me down and break my spirit. But in the case of Gilad Shalit, he was kidnapped by terrorists, cursed enemy of the Jews, so my pain is not any less than anyone else. This is what I came to say.

“I don’t compare my conditions with that of Gilad. There are recordings and anyone can listen to them. The people can be the judge. My statements were distorted with many lies just as they do regarding the words of Maran Rav Ovadia Shlita and those of my good friend Minister Eli Yishai, as they did two weeks ago when he was speaking to soldiers”.

The above excerpts are only a small portion of the interview, in which Benizri blames the system, maintains his innocence, and expresses his determination towards clearing his name and showing the world the injustice that he was compelled to endure.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)