The 17-year-old Moshav Hoshea resident who spat on MK Elazar Stern when he came out of shul on erev Shabbos is expressing sorrow for his actions. The young man explains it was a spur of the moment thing because he was so pained the MK spoke out as he did against Rav Dov Lior Shlita. Stern says he hopes the remorse is genuine, but nevertheless, he is not withdrawing his police complaint.
Speaking with Yediot Achronot, the young man said “I was very pained because of kovod Hatorah and how he spoke about HaGaon HaRav Dov Lior Shlita. I am not trying to justify my actions but it was a spontaneous act. I never spat on anyone in my life. I was not focusing at that moment and it took me time to calm down after he spoke in shul. We must tell the State of Israel not to be too concerned with a young man who spat but to be concerned with Rav Lior’s kovod.”
The young adds he is astounded how politicians are taking an incident involving spitting and turning it into the next Rabin assassination. “I am not Yigal Amir Number 2 and anyone who says that is simply blowing the incident out of proportion.” He explains how he davens in that minyan on Fridays and saw Stern speaking with others and he spat at him out of anger.
He is now concerned the incident will harm his upcoming induction into the IDF. He explains his father was an Armored Corps office and he too wishes to serve Am Yisrael. He feels the media coverage is destroying his career before it begins, expressing sorrow over the incident but adds someone has to speak out for Rav Lior’s kovod “for he is a gadol hador”.
Attorney Shimon Kokush is representing the young man. He describes him as normative and a good natured individual, adding his client made a mistake and has apologized, and there is no reason to ruin his life.
Stern reiterated he is not withdrawing his complaint, adding the young man verbally assaulted him in shul six months ago and when he approached on erev Shabbos, he was expecting an apology for that incident, not being spat upon.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Stern must be feeling real hot under the collar if he is going after this young guy.
SPIT is part of the Israeli dialogue as we have seen in Bet Shemesh, on buses and at the Kotel.
If anyone should apologize it’s Mr. Stern for spitting and accusing a prominent Rabbi of racism. Zionist Leftists even those who sport a kipa are a shame to Israel and to the rest of the world.
Only in Israel can “spitting lead to murder and releasing terrorists is harmless”. What a nutty government.
And some people think koved is liver.