Former Minister Limor Livnat Ordered to Pay MK David Amsalem $26,000 in Defamation Case

A Jerusalem Magistrate's Court has ordered former minister Limor Livnat to pay MK David Amsalem NIS 98,500 (approximately $26,000) in damages and legal costs after ruling in favor of Amsalem's defamation lawsuit. The case centered on statements Livnat made regarding a 2002 political meeting that took place before Likud party primaries.

Livnat had alleged that Amsalem, who was then chairman of the Jerusalem branch's council, demanded she appoint his associates to positions in her ministry in exchange for political support. Senior Judge Dorit Feinstein determined that these claims portrayed Amsalem as corruptly conditioning political support on appointments, thereby damaging his reputation severely.

The initial publication of these remarks occurred in October 2019 on Channel 12's "HaLikudnikim" program. The court's ruling noted that Livnat reiterated these claims in her autobiographical book, published in July 2024, and in subsequent media interviews.

Livnat's defense, which argued the statements were truthful, was rejected by the court. The judge found that Livnat failed to prove Amsalem had conditioned his support on future appointments. Furthermore, the court dismissed Livnat's claim of a moral obligation to publish the information, criticizing the delay of many years between the alleged event and the publication. The court suggested that if the information had been of public interest, it should have been published closer to 2002.

In addition to the NIS 85,000 in damages and NIS 13,500 for legal expenses, the court mandated that if Livnat's autobiography is reprinted, the passages concerning Amsalem must be removed. However, Amsalem's claim for financial damages to his political career was dismissed, as the court found no proof of actual monetary loss.