Israeli Court Upholds Parliamentary Immunity for Tali Gottlieb in Defamation Case

The Tel Aviv District Court rejected an appeal by Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party, against Knesset member Tali Gottlieb from Likud, affirming her parliamentary immunity in a defamation lawsuit filed by Golan. The lawsuit, demanding 500,000 shekels, stemmed from statements Gottlieb made in the Knesset plenum and media interviews in early 2025, where she linked Golan to the "Southern Spy" affair and called for an investigation into his possible connection to the accused, Asaf Shmuelovitz. Golan was not mentioned in the indictment against Shmuelovitz, who was later acquitted due to insanity and found not to have acted for hostile entities.

The Magistrate's Court initially dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Gottlieb's statements were part of her parliamentary duties. Golan appealed, arguing that spreading false facts should not be protected by immunity. However, the District Court, led by Judge Avi Stav, upheld the dismissal, stating that parliamentary immunity covers exaggerations, inaccuracies, and defamatory elements made in the context of legitimate calls for investigation. Judges Rami Haimovitz and Hana Kitzis concurred, emphasizing that calls for investigation fall within a Knesset member's role. The court also decided not to impose legal costs on Golan due to Gottlieb's conduct during the proceedings.