Israeli Court Rules Public Funds May Cover Damages Awarded to Efi Naveh

A court ruling has determined that journalist Hadas Steif and the State of Israel must jointly pay 450,000 shekels to Efi Naveh, former Chairman of the Israel Bar Association. The ruling stems from Naveh's lawsuit over the hacking of his phones. The court found Steif's actions to have a "criminal tinge" under computer and wiretapping laws, but also assigned vicarious liability to the state because the actions were performed within the scope of her employment at Galei Tzahal (Army Radio).

The court did not specify how the 450,000 shekel payment would be divided between Steif and the state, stating they are liable "jointly and severally." Galei Tzahal is still examining how the payment will be allocated, but it is estimated that the majority of the sum may come from state coffers. Steif herself disputes that Galei Tzahal will cover her entire compensation.

While the final division is undecided, Steif is expected to personally cover approximately 120,000 shekels in separate judgments against her, including 90,000 shekels in legal fees for Naveh and 30,000 shekels for a defamation case related to a Facebook post calling Naveh "trash worm." The remaining amount, concerning the phone intrusion, is likely to be paid by the state.

The court reasoned that holding investigative journalists solely responsible for financial consequences could harm investigative journalism. Therefore, even in cases of improper conduct with a criminal element, the state bears vicarious responsibility when actions are taken for journalistic purposes within their employment.