Arad Mayor Wins Defamation Suit Against Predecessor in Settlement

Arad Mayor Yair Maayan has reached a settlement in a defamation lawsuit he filed against council member and opposition figure Nisan Ben-Hamo. The agreement, approved by the Beersheba Magistrate's Court, requires Ben-Hamo to issue a clarification and apology for his publications against Maayan. Additionally, Ben-Hamo will make a donation to the "HaShomer HaChadash" organization in Arad.

The lawsuit addressed several publications, including one concerning a real estate deal in Ashdod, which had been reported by "TheMarker." Maayan alleged that these publications falsely accused him of corruption. Another publication under scrutiny claimed that the mayor had used bots to target Ben-Hamo.

Under the terms of the settlement, Ben-Hamo must retract his statements and publish the apology. The donation to "HaShomer HaChadash," which operates pre-military academies in Arad, was accepted by Maayan in lieu of personal financial compensation. Maayan stated that the outcome sends a message about the boundaries between legitimate public criticism and defamation.

"The court is sending a very clear message against unrestrained defamation of public figures and establishing a clear boundary between defamation and legitimate criticism of public figures," Maayan said. Ben-Hamo, in his response, claimed Maayan sought to silence him and asserted that Maayan himself has a questionable reputation due to past disciplinary actions regarding his educational qualifications.