Abandoned: Israel’s AG Gali Baharav-Miara Left Her Paralyzed War-Hero Husband Behind

Behind the polished halls of justice and the sharp suits of power lies a painful story that has been carefully kept away from public view. Gali Baharav-Miara, Israel’s current Attorney General, is celebrated in some circles as a trailblazing legal figure. But for her estranged husband, Zion Miara, the reality is very different. Once an elite undercover Shin Bet officer, Zion was diagnosed in 2001 with ALS—a brutal neurodegenerative disease that has left him nearly entirely paralyzed. Since 2021, he has communicated only through eye movement, confined to a neglected apartment in Elisha Street, Givatayim. His caregivers? A team of Filipino aides. His companion? Silence.

Meanwhile, Gali Baharav-Miara, once his partner in life and in resilience - has moved to a luxurious apartment near Kikar HaMedina in Tel Aviv. She no longer resides with the man who once served Israel with courage, nor visits her official office in Jerusalem. Instead, she is said to spend her working hours in Ministry of Justice offices in Tel Aviv, including the Securities Authority and Complaints Commission.

When she’s not at work? Multiple sources allege that Baharav-Miara often frequents nail salons and upscale hair studios, tending to personal care rather than the man whose life is sustained by machines and memories.

Miara himself once spoke openly and spiritually about his struggle. In a deeply moving personal essay, he described out-of-body experiences brought on by meditation and guided imagery, floating on what he called the "River of Light." He never once mentioned bitterness—only gratitude, faith, and acceptance.

But those close to him today describe a very different scene: a brilliant mind trapped in a broken body, lying alone, long forgotten by the woman who once promised to be by his side "in sickness and in health."

Miara himself wrote:

"I was born the youngest of nine siblings, 51 years ago, in the moshav of Uriya. Those were the days of austerity. My father was a construction worker at the nuclear facility, but left that job to work as a school janitor. My mother also worked at the nuclear facility as a cleaner and later became a kindergarten assistant. They immigrated from Morocco during the major aliyah of 1953. When I was two years old, our family moved to Yavne, where my parents lived for the rest of their lives.

Two of my sisters are schoolteachers, another is a kindergarten teacher, and the fourth is a nurse at Beilinson Hospital. One of my brothers lives in New York, where he studied civil engineering and now works in the field. Two brothers are retirees, and another is a successful school principal in the Gedera region.

I attended elementary school... and since my father worked at the school, I didn’t have much freedom to “go wild.” In high school, I studied at the Ein Kerem agricultural boarding school in Jerusalem. I enlisted in the Golani Brigade and served as an officer with the rank of lieutenant in the battalions. I received a citation of merit from then-Northern Command Chief Rafael Eitan. In May 1977, I was discharged, and in July I joined El Al's security division. I worked for four years as an in-flight security officer.

In 1982, I joined the Shin Bet and was stationed in Lebanon, providing security for agency personnel. I also served in Beirut. I worked in operational units until April 1998, and then I retired. After that, I worked as a security officer for diplomatic missions and later returned to work at the Prime Minister’s Office as a freelancer.

I met Gali when she was a legal intern at the Ministry of Justice. We got married in 1985. Gali supported me a lot, helped me greatly, and always tried to ease the challenges of life. She showered me with love and raised the children with devotion and seriousness.

In August 2001, I was diagnosed with ALS. Before the diagnosis, I had fasciculations in my shoulder and left arm, which I attributed to training and fitness—running, basketball, and gym workouts. I also couldn’t close the pinky finger on my right hand and had numbness. I was examined by an orthopedist who performed an EMG on my arms, but it showed nothing. He asked me to return six months later.

In February 2000, I returned for another EMG, which again showed no changes. In July 2001, a neurologist sent me for blood tests, which revealed very high CPK levels—an indication of muscle damage. That test was a deeper and more comprehensive diagnostic than the EMG.

In August, a neurologist from my health fund suspected I had MND and explained that there was a muscle-related issue. A friend connected me with Meir Oren, director of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, who referred us to Dr. Bluman, a senior neurologist there. Today, I am treated by Dr. Vivian Drory, who heads the national ALS center at Ichilov Hospital.

Gali did a lot of research online and consulted many doctors. I didn’t. I went to a homeopath for a very long period—all privately—but it didn’t help. Conventional treatment included taking Rilutek from the beginning. At some point, Dr. Drory mentioned Rasagiline, a medication for Parkinson’s disease that showed promise in ALS mouse studies. I’ve been taking it ever since.

At the same time, I speak with a psychologist. A religious colleague suggested I meet a rabbi from Moshav Talmei. The rabbi told me I mustn’t be sad or angry. Thanks to him, I understood that anger is the root of all evil—both the internal kind and its external expressions. Through a long process, including further meetings with the rabbi, I took control of my life and worked hard to release the anger.

For my soul, I practice yoga, meditation, and guided imagery. I believe in God and used to go to synagogue often - whenever I could. I spoke with God a lot, and I still do. I also believe in reincarnation, spirituality, and the human spirit.

Two years ago, we moved to a ground-floor house near Gali’s parents. That move improved my quality of life. Once a week, I travel to Karmiel to meet with a guided imagery therapist and explore other methods for strengthening the soul. I sleep with a ventilator for several hours and sometimes use it during the day for short periods. In this regard, I must mention the tremendous help I receive from Dr. Ditsa Gross, as part of my respiratory rehabilitation.

While the public sees an attorney general who champions justice, some now ask: Where is justice for Zion Miara when it has just been revealed Gali is in a romantic relationship with Jackie Eshel, former Mosaad agent?