Israeli Courts Approve Settlements in Four Class Action Lawsuits

Walla Tours and Israir will modify their website wording regarding flight prices to clarify that limited seats are available at the current price, rather than implying they are the last seats on the entire flight. This change follows a class action lawsuit settlement approved by District Court Judge Abbas Assi, which alleged the companies misled customers into believing they were purchasing the final seats available, pressuring them to buy. Under the settlement, the two applicants, Shnir Yahav and Gilad Negrin, will each receive NIS 3,500, and attorney Roi Padal will receive NIS 34,000 from each company. No compensation was awarded to the class members, though the original claim stated damages in the millions.

In a separate settlement approved by District Court Judge Rachel Barkai, Clalit Health Services will prohibit smoking in its 14 hospitals and implement enforcement measures. This includes establishing anti-smoking committees, reviewing smoking areas, adding signage, appointing smoking prevention supervisors, and hiring six additional police officers for enforcement, at a cost of NIS 5 million over four years. Former CEOs Ehud Davidson and Ruth Ralbag were removed from the individual claims. The applicants, Yoni Engel and Lior Dantz, will receive NIS 50,000, and attorneys Omer Feintuch and Guy Levinson will receive NIS 700,000 in legal fees. Clalit was represented by attorney Shai Tamar.

Strauss Ice Cream will pay NIS 875,000 as part of a class action settlement approved by District Court Judge Shmuel Mandelbaum, following an ammonia leak at its Acre factory in June 2019. The original claim was NIS 17 million. The compensation will not be paid to individuals who lost income or to residents affected by the area's closure; instead, it will go to the Ministry of Justice's Class Action Claims Fund for environmental projects in Acre. Applicants Vivian Jubran, Ahlas Aboud, and Nasser Bashtawi will receive NIS 30,000 each, the organization Citizens for the Environment NIS 30,000, and attorneys Hagai Kalai and Hana Erez NIS 150,000. Strauss was represented by attorney Hagit Blayberg.

Menora-Mivtachim insurance company will re-examine cases of health insurance policyholders who were denied payment after suffering heart attacks. Those found eligible will receive 90% of the compensation stipulated in their policies. A decisive expert will rule on disputed cases, and those not compensated can file individual lawsuits. This settlement, approved by District Court Judge Rami Chaimovitz, addresses claims that Menora relied on outdated medical definitions. The applicant, Mordechai Peretz, will receive 5% of the total payout, and attorneys Moshe Ben-Dror, Inon Haimi, and Raphael Fisher will receive 22% of the payout. Menora was represented by attorneys Tami Greenberg and Em-Li Polakiewicz.