Hostage's Mother Sues Ultra-Orthodox Writer for Defamation

Iris Haim, mother of fallen hostage Yotam Haim, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Dov Halbertal, an ultra-Orthodox writer and lawyer, for a series of deeply offensive posts Halbertal published on Facebook on May 10. The lawsuit, filed in Jerusalem Magistrate's Court and seeking 169,000 shekels, stems from Halbertal's reaction to rumors that Haim might receive a reserved spot on Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party list.

Halbertal's posts, which Haim has since had removed, included calling her a "whore of bereavement" and accusing her of seeking fame and political advancement by "trampling on her son's blood." He also wrote, "On her son's grave she will write: 'How good that you were murdered.' What mercy Hamas did for her."

Haim, who has become an advocate for unity following her son's death, responded to Halbertal's remarks in her own post. She stated she had never heard of him before and denied any political aspirations, emphasizing that no party had approached her and she would refuse any offer. She urged readers to donate to "Beit Yotam," an initiative she is establishing in her son's memory.

Yotam Haim was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023. He managed to escape captivity with two other hostages, Alon Shamriz and Samer Fuad al-Talalka. While attempting to signal to Israeli forces that they were hostages, they were tragically killed by IDF soldiers on December 15 due to mistaken identity. Despite the circumstances of his death, Iris Haim has consistently advocated for unity and has stated she does not blame the soldiers involved.

Halbertal, in his response to a pre-lawsuit warning letter, admitted to writing the posts but claimed he later felt the wording was too harsh and deleted it. He also stated he had read about Haim's potential political advancement in a news report and assumed the information was accurate. He offered an apology, a meeting, and to host the family for Shabbat to resolve the matter. However, Haim's lawyers dismissed his response as "the height of outrageous cynicism," arguing that his experience in media indicated he knew the potential impact of his words.