Sara Netanyahu ordered to pay Yair Golan's legal costs after court rejects bid to dismiss defamation lawsuit

The court on Sunday rejected Sara Netanyahu's request to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed against her by Democrats party leader Yair Golan, ruling that her claims were "completely unfounded." Yair Golan sues Sara Netanyahu for over $800,000 The court ordered her to pay legal expenses in the amount of two thousand shekels. Netanyahu claimed that she only gave a "traditional interview" and that "the responsibility for publication and distribution lies solely with third parties and media outlets such as Channel 14." However, the judge rejected the claims and ruled that she was interviewed with knowledge and consent that the statements would be broadcast to the general public. According to the judge, Netanyahu's attempt to dissociate himself from the broadcast is artificial. "There is no justification for an artificial separation between the aspect of 'publication' by the interviewee and the 'publication' by the interviewing and broadcasting body. These are two sides of the same coin and constitute a single publication," she noted. Golan responded: "Once again it has been proven that the poison machine spares no means—neither in lying about the heroes of October 7 nor in attempts to undermine public trust in the judicial system." "Today's ruling is further proof that the truth will defeat the lies. Those who incite violence and spread false accusations will not escape responsibility—we will continue until the law is fully enforced in court, and we will personally defend the warriors of Israeli democracy." On August 31, the Prime Minister's wife was interviewed on Channel 14, where she made a claim implying that Yair Golan knew about the October 7 attack in advance, before the Prime Minister: "You claim you are a fighter on October 7, you were already there early in the morning, already dressed and ready. At a very early hour, when others did not know, such as the Prime Minister." Golan filed the lawsuit a few days later. Suggested articles "Fabricating stories of betrayal": Yair Golan files massive lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu | i24NEWS Netanyahu releases Oct. 7 timeline to shift the blame-but exposes a 3½-hour delay | Joe Brown Yair Golan threatens NIS 2.5 million defamation lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu | Danna Avni