Tel Aviv Court Reverses Compensation Order Against Former Netanyahu Residence Employee

A Tel Aviv court has overturned a previous ruling that ordered Sylvie Genesia, a former employee of the Prime Minister's residence, to pay 100,000 shekels in compensation to Sara Netanyahu. The decision, made on September 14, came after Genesia requested the annulment of the verdict.

This ruling is part of a defamation lawsuit filed by Sara Netanyahu against Genesia for 400,000 shekels. Previously, the court had ordered Genesia to pay the compensation because she failed to provide sufficient evidence for her accusations. Genesia had published diary entries alleging she was forced to change clothes multiple times daily and that Sara Netanyahu verbally abused her.

The court initially ruled against Genesia due to a lack of evidence. However, in the latest decision, the court acknowledged that the delay in submitting documents was a significant oversight, but attributed it to Genesia's former lawyer, not her own inaction. The decision was reversed to prevent a potential miscarriage of justice and allow for a full examination of both parties' claims.

Genesia is not the first former residence employee to sue Sara Netanyahu, with other workers alleging she behaved like a "landowner." Two previous lawsuits by former cleaners were dismissed. In one case, a cleaner named Shira Raban worked for only 20 days, which the court deemed too short a period to substantiate claims of "systematic humiliation."

Genesia's lawyer, Shaul Ido, expressed optimism, stating that while previous rulings indicated no grounds for Netanyahu's defamation claim, the compensation was solely for document submission issues. He affirmed their commitment to pursuing justice.