Right-Wing Activist Sues Shin Bet for Leaking Confidential Information to Journalist

Elisha Yard, a right-wing activist, has filed a 150,000 shekel lawsuit against the Shin Bet security service for privacy violations, defamation, and damages. This legal action follows a previous defamation suit Yard won against journalist Ben Caspit, who was ordered to pay 20,000 shekels for publishing personal and criminal information about Yard that was allegedly leaked by Shin Bet.

The lawsuit centers on revelations from correspondence showing that Shin Bet provided Caspit with confidential criminal records, including Yard's designation as a "Shin Bet informant." In November 2022, Caspit published tweets based on this sensitive information, which included details of 17 arrests and administrative detentions. Yard had been poised to become the spokesperson for Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech at the time.

In June 2026, Caspit submitted an affidavit admitting direct communication with Shin Bet spokespersons, confirming the agency's role in supplying the sensitive data. The lawsuit argues that Shin Bet knowingly enabled Caspit to publicly disseminate this information, violating laws governing criminal data confidentiality. Yard's attorney, Menahem Yado from Honenu, criticized Shin Bet for acting as a political tool rather than a neutral security service.

Yard demands 80,000 shekels for defamation and 70,000 shekels for privacy infringement, plus legal fees. The court will now require Shin Bet to explain why it transferred confidential citizen data to a journalist amid a politically sensitive appointment. Shin Bet's response to the lawsuit is pending.