Nir Barkat sues N12 in Israel's largest libel lawsuit | The Jerusalem Post

Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat filed a libel lawsuit against Channel 12 News journalist Omri Maniv, seeking NIS 12 million in damages, marking the largest such case in Israeli history. Barkat alleges that Maniv broadcast a “false, negligent, and defamatory investigation” against him, and the 25-page claim aims to dismantle Maniv’s allegations, citing fundamental errors and distortions of facts.

According to Barkat’s office, the investigation failed to verify even a single fact and instead created an artificial link between events to pursue a pattern of personal persecution. The claim specifically refutes three alleged lies: that Barkat is still involved with BRM and its investments, that BRM invested in a news site to influence Barkat, and that Barkat’s fortune stems from local business ties creating a conflict of interest. Barkat asserts he severed ties with BRM 24 years ago, made his fortune in hi-tech, and has no current local business interests.

Barkat condemned the broadcast as a “disgrace to journalism,” and his attorney described the case as an “unprecedented defamation lawsuit” representing a “grave” and “obsessive” media attack. The lawsuit argues that Channel 12 acted with “deliberate malice” and that the allegations could have been easily disproven with basic journalistic verification.

(Source：Jpost)