 Yigal Cohen-Orgad and Rehavam Ze'evi offered references testifying to the good character of the accused, while other MKs like Meir Cohen-Avidov and Dov Shilansky were supportive from the very outset.Yuval Ne'eman argued that they had acted purely out of self-defense.A bill to grant them an amnesty was presented to the Knesset by religious parties.