Netanyahu's son asks Israeli state to pay libel fine
According to Yair Netanyahu, the suit notice was never passed on to him
Son of Israeli prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu, Yair Netanyahu, filed a request for the Israeli state to cover his roughly $117,000 libel fine.
The Likud leader's son submitted the request to the Tel Aviv district attorney's office, arguing that negligence and bad faith determined the result of the suit. According to Yair, the notice was sent to the Prime Minister's Office during his father's tenure as premier and never passed on to him.
Because Yair was unaware of the suit, he never filed a statement of defense. In March 2020, the court automatically ruled in favor of the plaintiff.
Due to the negligence, the state should cover the amount awarded to the plaintiff, Yair argued. The total amount being asked for includes compensation, legal costs, and interest.
Avi Alkalay, a former editor from Israel's Walla news site, initially filed the suit in 2019. Yair had shared posts on social media claiming that Alkalay - a witness in one of the corruption cases against Benjamin Netanyahu - was a "plant" and a "mole," working to harm his father.
Yair was originally ordered to pay Alkalay some $73,000 and an additional $8,500 in court fees. However, reports indicate that the amount was increased following a series of appeals and delays.
The prosecutor's office said Yair will receive the state's response "within a few days."
This is not the only libel suit against the former prime minister's son. In April, he took the stand to defend himself against accusations from the left-wing organization "Crime Minister."