A court ruled on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son must pay a woman who filed a lawsuit against him after he said she was having an affair with his father’s main political rival.
The court mandated that Yair Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu’s eldest son, pay Dana Cassidy approximately $34,000 in damages and $6,000 in legal fees. In 2020, Cassidy filed a defamation lawsuit against him after he implied on social media that she was romantically linked to Benny Gantz, who was then challenging his father for the position of prime minister.
According to the decision, Yair Netanyahu tweeted a number of unsupported claims during the election that ultimately resulted in Benjamin Netanyahu being re-elected, claiming that Gantz was engaging in extramarital affairs.
The son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ordered by a court on Wednesday to pay a woman who sued him after he claimed she was having an affair with his father’s top political challenger.
Yair Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu’s eldest son, was ordered by the court to pay Dana Cassidy $34,000 in damages and $6,000 in legal costs. In 2020, Cassidy sued him for defamation when he suggested on social media that she was dating Benny Gantz, who was then running against his father for prime minister.
The ruling states that during the election that led to Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election, Yair Netanyahu tweeted a variety of unfounded allegations, including that Gantz was having extramarital affairs.
Cassidy has already disclosed to Israeli media that a wave of online harassment followed the posts.
A request for a response was made on Wednesday, but she did not react right away. Peleg noted in the decision that Yair Netanyahu should “exercise self-control” and described him as “evasive and stammering.” Yair Netanyahu is well known for posting inflammatory statements on social media and has been involved in a number of defamation cases over the years.
He has also worked as a close informal advisor to his father. He was sentenced earlier this year by a judge to pay $18,000 to a former Labor Party lawmaker in Israel, whom he labeled “ugly.”
The far-right Israeli government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, has a number of members and ministers who are close to his son.
The prime minister and his wife, Sara, reportedly told Yair Netanyahu to cease posting on social media earlier this year, according to Israeli media.
The office of Benjamin Netanyahu made no comments regarding the verdict.
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