A legal aid fund established by Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barakat, using NIS 2 million of his personal money, has begun operating and has already disclosed its first known intervention. The fund helped finance the legal defense of media figure Eli Tzipori in his dispute with Channel 12, a case that ended last Thursday when the lawsuit was withdrawn and Tzipori paid nothing to the broadcaster.
According to the report, Tzipori’s request for assistance was reviewed and approved by the fund’s management committee, chaired by Prof. Moshe Cohen-Eliya and including attorney Amir Rosenberg. The committee is responsible for examining applications and deciding how much support each case receives.
Barakat first announced the initiative several months ago on Channel 14, saying he would set aside NIS 2 million from his own pocket for a fund to assist people, mainly from the right, whom he said face legal battles meant to intimidate or silence them. The fund said the decision to back Tzipori was influenced in part by his public positions on the “Force 100” case and by his criticism of Channel 12 and reporter Guy Peleg.
Barakat’s office confirmed the details of the aid and said the fund operates with legal advice and under the supervision of a dedicated management committee. The disclosure is the first public sign of the fund’s practical activity since it was created.
