Israeli Journalist Matan Khodorov Sues Harish Fitness Coach for Homophobic Harassment
Matan Khodorov, a prominent Israeli journalist and economic commentator for Channel 13 News, has filed a lawsuit against Sagiv Cohen Yaron, a fitness coach from Harish, accusing him of a prolonged campaign of homophobic sexual harassment and defamation on the social media platform X. Khodorov demands that Cohen Yaron remove the offensive posts and pay compensation of 277,336.96 shekels, even without proof of damage.
Cohen Yaron, who markets himself as having over 20 years of experience in youth education and operates in the Zichron Yaakov, Binyamina-Givat Ada, and Carmel Coast areas, allegedly posted a series of abusive comments targeting Khodorov's sexual orientation between April 2023 and June 2026. The lawsuit cites 12 specific posts containing vulgar and homophobic language, including insults and sexual slurs. Many of these posts have reportedly been deleted.
Khodorov, who publicly came out as gay in 2015 and is a father of two children born via surrogacy in the United States, is pursuing the case under Israel's Sexual Harassment Prevention Law rather than defamation law. He argues that the posts constitute degrading and humiliating treatment based on his sexual orientation and are motivated by hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community, entitling him to enhanced compensation.
The lawsuit describes the posts as "vulgar, coarse, and abusive," obsessively focused on Khodorov's sex life with extreme homophobic overtones. Khodorov, a recipient of the 2026 Uri Avnery Award for Courageous Journalism, emphasized that while he accepts professional criticism, the nature of these attacks is fundamentally different and unacceptable.
Previously, Khodorov settled a similar sexual harassment case against Yael Adani, who apologized and paid significant compensation for derogatory tweets about his identity. His legal team, including attorneys Hagai Kalai, Yael Vizel, and Romi Weinfeld, highlighted the importance of holding online harassers accountable. Cohen Yaron has not yet responded to the lawsuit, and attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.
Summary: Israeli journalist Matan Khodorov is suing fitness coach Sagiv Cohen Yaron for homophobic harassment on social media, seeking over 277,000 shekels in damages and removal of offensive posts. The case highlights ongoing legal efforts to combat online sexual harassment based on sexual orientation in Israel.
