Retired General Israel Ziv Wins Defamation Lawsuit Over Oct. 7 Conspiracy Theory

A retired Israeli general, Israel Ziv, has been awarded approximately 168,000 shekels (about $45,000 USD) in a defamation lawsuit against attorney Ido Shifoni. Shifoni had spread a conspiracy theory alleging that Ziv, along with former MKs Yair Golan and N'am Tibon, had prior knowledge of the October 7th Hamas attacks but failed to warn the army.

The lawsuit, heard at the Kfar Saba Magistrate's Court, concluded with Judge Ronen Peleg ruling that Shifoni disseminated the theory for political motives, aiming to portray the three as traitors and to destabilize the government. The judge noted that such publications tarnish the heroic actions of individuals like Ziv, who was recognized for his personal risk in assisting during the initial hours of the attack.

Shifoni's post questioned Ziv's presence at the scene on October 7th, suggesting he and others knew of the impending massacre and were prepared to confront the media, while soldiers were being killed. The court rejected Shifoni's defenses, finding his publication was not made in good faith and did not raise legitimate questions. The court also dismissed the claim that this was a "gag lawsuit."

Shifoni, who operates an online legal channel, was ordered to remove the defamatory posts within 14 days and to publish the court's ruling on his social media platforms for at least 30 consecutive days. He was also fined an additional 10,000 shekels for his conduct during the proceedings.

In related news, Yair Golan is reportedly planning a similar lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu, whom he accuses of spreading a conspiracy theory about him concerning October 7th.