The crowdfunding campaign by the My Israel movement to return soldier Yehuda Hayisraeli to his home in the Ofra settlement has moved and galvanized Israelis from across the political spectrum. At the same time, however, it has brought to the fore the issue of construction on the West Bank.
Hayisraeli, a member of the Givati Brigade, suffered a serious head wound while pursing the kidnappers of another Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier, Lt. Hadar Goldin, in Rafah during Operation Protective Edge in summer 2014. Hayisraeli has spent nearly two years in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, and in light of his condition, his family asked the Defense Ministry to allocate 1.5 million shekels ($193,000) to build a handicap-accessible annex adjacent to the family’s home.
