Minister Nir Barkat Launches Legal Aid Fund Against Channel 12 Defamation

Israeli Minister Nir Barkat has established a defamation lawsuit fund to support citizens and IDF soldiers harmed by Channel 12's news coverage. Barkat is encouraging affected individuals, including reservists and combatants, to submit formal requests for legal assistance through the fund's website. The fund, fully financed by Barkat with two million shekels of his own money, is managed by a professional steering committee headed by Professor Moshe Cohen-Elia and attorney Amir Rozenberg. Its stated goal is to provide financial and legal backing against what it describes as Channel 12's attempts to silence the right-wing camp.

The fund's spokespersons highlight their involvement in a major defamation case filed by Channel 12 against media figure Eli Tzipori, who defended members of the IDF's Unit 100; that lawsuit was dismissed in court. Since Barkat initiated this campaign against Channel 12, several ministers and Knesset members from the coalition have ceased giving interviews to the channel.

About six months ago, Barkat filed a personal defamation suit against Channel 12 demanding 12 million shekels over a critical report aired about him. Additionally, he is leading another defamation lawsuit alongside the Knesset Speaker and seven other ministers, contesting false reports alleging that government ministers deliberately avoided attending a funeral for an IDF officer to publicly defame them.