Court Orders Former Minister Limor Livnat to Pay David Amsalem NIS 100,000 for Defamation

A Jerusalem court has ruled in favor of Minister David Amsalem in a defamation lawsuit he filed against former minister Limor Livnat. The suit stemmed from Livnat's claims that Amsalem had demanded she promote his associates during her tenure as Education Minister. The court found Livnat's publications to be defamatory and rejected her primary defense of "truth in publication."

Livnat has been ordered to pay Amsalem NIS 85,000 in damages, plus NIS 10,000 for legal fees and NIS 3,500 in court costs. The ruling also stipulates that if Livnat's book is reprinted, the allegations at the center of the lawsuit must be removed.

Amsalem responded to the verdict, stating, "There are victories that are not about money. They are about truth." He asserted that for years, attempts were made to portray him as a "hustler, a strongman, a thug" and associate his name with "jobs and deals." Amsalem recounted that his entry into public life was driven by personal grief following his wife's death, which led him to understand the struggles of ordinary citizens fighting for their right to live. He emphasized that he entered politics not to arrange jobs for others, but to work, fix, and do good for the Israeli people.

Amsalem explained that he decided to pursue legal action after Livnat repeatedly leveled harsh accusations against him, not for revenge or money, but for the sake of truth. He announced that he would donate the compensation he receives to charities and welfare institutions he has supported for years, reiterating that money was never the issue. "My name is not for sale. Truth is not for sale. And justice, in the end, not only must be done, it must also be seen," Amsalem concluded, adding that now everyone can know who spoke the truth.