Jerusalem Court Rejects Nir Barkat's Bid to Revive Defamation Lawsuit Against Channel 12

A Jerusalem District Court judge has decisively rejected former Economy Minister Nir Barkat's attempt to overturn the dismissal of his 2.8 million shekel defamation lawsuit against Channel 12 reporter Maayan Perati and senior staff. The suit concerned allegations of government funding for Barkat's private overseas trips. Judge Anat Zinger criticized Barkat for failing to advance his case properly, noting that the lawsuit was dismissed after the parties failed to update the court on a scheduled preliminary hearing. She emphasized that it is the plaintiff's responsibility to manage their case and dismissed the defense's claim that administrative errors caused the delay.

Judge Zinger also urged Barkat to consider whether it is worthwhile to revive the lawsuit at all, suggesting that a resolution through dialogue would be preferable given his public role and the scrutiny he faces. This ruling follows a previous dismissal of the case and comes amid Barkat's broader legal campaign against Channel 12, which includes another 12 million shekel lawsuit and a special funding initiative against the channel. Should Barkat choose to continue, he would need to initiate a new legal process, pay fresh court fees, and re-enter the queue of pending cases in the judicial system.

The court's decision marks another setback for Barkat in his ongoing legal and media battle with Channel 12, underscoring the procedural and substantive challenges he faces in pursuing defamation claims related to his private travel expenses.