The hearing on Dana Kashdi’s defamation lawsuit against Yair Netanyahu was postponed today (Tuesday), after the former prime minister’s son was absent from court. Defense counsel claimed that the son of the opposition leader was ill, and the judge ruled that he would pay expenses in the amount of NIS 2,000. As you may recall, when Di sued Netanyahu, claiming that he presented her as the mistress of Defense Minister Bnei Gantz.
Advocate Levintel, Kashdi’s lawyer, argued that “Mr. Netanyahu has a history of not attending hearings. Attorney Yossi Cohen, representing Yair Netanyahu, replied: “I only found out last night that he was ill. I manage dozens of cases without the presence of the plaintiff or the defendant. I have not heard that expenses are determined when someone is ill.” . As stated, the judge decided to adjourn the hearing to January 27th.
As you may recall, Dana filed a defamation lawsuit in the amount of half a million shekels against Yair Netanyahu, claiming that he presented her as Gantz’s lover. The lawsuit alleges that Netanyahu Jr. posted a picture of herself with Ganz on his Twitter account, hinting that she was having sex with him. Netanyahu then published a picture of Kashdi with Ganz, and wrote: “Does anyone know who this is?”. The statement of claim states: “The plaintiff was presented by the defendant as a frivolous and promiscuous girl, as someone who is another on Gantz’s list of conquests, of course without any clarification with her, without acquaintance with her and without having even a shred of truth.” According to Kashdi, she is an animal rights activist who volunteered to help the Blue and White Party during the Knesset elections. According to her, Netanyahu’s publicity even constitutes sexual harassment.
Yair Netanyahu did not file a statement of defense, and Judge Ronen Peleg ruled in March this year that he would pay Kashdi the amount of the lawsuit – half a million shekels. Following the publication of the judge’s decision, Netanyahu turned to the court and claimed that he had not received the statement of claim at all and was not aware of it. He explained that there was a problem getting letters at the Prime Minister’s house, where he lived at the time. In the end, Judge Peleg decided to overturn the ruling, and ordered Netanyahu to pay NIS 4,500 in expenses. The judge ruled in his decision: “I believe that the applicant’s right to administer his defense and receive his day in court is subject to the imposition of costs, which will express his failure to file a defense on time and the delay caused by him.”
In June of this year, Netanyahu submitted a letter of defense, in which he claimed that he really wanted to know what the connection was between Kashdi and Gantz, and that in the publication there was no hint of a sexual connection between them. He further said that he was not responsible for the reactions to his tweet, which hinted at such a sexual relationship.
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