Ben Gvir Sues MK Gadi Eisenkot for Defamation Over Podcast Remarks
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir filed a 100,000 NIS defamation lawsuit against MK Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar! party over podcast remarks linking him to violent online rhetoric.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has filed a 100,000 NIS defamation lawsuit in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court against MK Gadi Eisenkot and his party, Yashar! The lawsuit stems from remarks Eisenkot made on the Kan 11 podcast "How to Do Things," where he allegedly linked Ben Gvir to violent social media content and extreme rhetoric.
The Podcast Remarks and Allegations
According to the statement of claim filed by attorney Zeev Wolf, Eisenkot discussed online violence during an interview broadcast on July 28 and 31, 2026. He mentioned TikTok videos featuring slogans such as "the only way is to kill" and "a good Arab is a dead Arab," alongside discussions of force and bullying. Eisenkot then stated: "And when I look at the phenomenon called Itamar Ben Gvir," which the lawsuit claims created a direct association between the minister and the described phenomena, falsely attributing violent messaging to him.
Ben Gvir's legal team asserts that these claims are false factual assertions rather than protected opinions, noting that the minister never published or promoted calls for murder or racist slogans. The suit points out that the interview garnered over 1.4 million views on the Yashar! party's YouTube channel and nearly 11,000 views on the Kan channel.
"The attribution of such messages to the Minister of National Security and a party leader severely damages his reputation, standing, and public activity," stated the lawsuit.
Demands and Legal Proceedings
Before filing the lawsuit, Ben Gvir's representatives sent a demand letter on August 27, 2026, requesting the removal and retraction of the statements, which Eisenkot and his party refused. Consequently, the lawsuit demands 100,000 NIS in statutory damages without proof of loss, the removal of the contentious clip from all party platforms, and a prominent public retraction. The defendants have 60 days from service to submit their statement of defense.
