Court Rules in Favor of Former IDF Spokesperson in Defamation Case
Former IDF spokesperson Avi Benayahu won a defamation lawsuit against Carmi Buzaglo over social media posts accusing him of betraying a soldier arrested in Brazil.
Defamation Lawsuit Over Social Media Posts
Avi Benayahu, the former spokesperson for the IDF, filed a defamation lawsuit against activist Carmi Buzaglo following social media posts published on January 6, 2025. Buzaglo had shared a post featuring Benayahu with the caption questioning whether he was an informer who betrayed an IDF soldier arrested in Brazil.
According to the lawsuit overseen by Judge Avim Barkai, the controversy began when Brig. Gen. (res.) Shlomo Cohen was allegedly assaulted at a soccer stadium by two uniformed men wearing patches bearing the messianic symbol "Mashiach". Cohen photographed the men and forwarded the image to Benayahu, who subsequently published a critical post about the high command and military police without identifying the individuals.
Court Ruling on Defamation and Free Speech
Buzaglo later reshared Benayahu's post alongside his own inflammatory captions. While the court ruled that the term "filth" used by Buzaglo was merely an ugly insult rather than actionable defamation, Judge Barkai determined that the insinuation of treason during wartime constituted severe defamation.
"Attributing criminal offenses to the plaintiff, implying that he is collaborating with the enemy during wartime, and suggesting he was involved in the arrest of an IDF soldier in Brazil all constitute severe defamation," Judge Barkai ruled.
Verdict and Legal Reactions
The court rejected Buzaglo's defense claims, noting that his arguments lacked good faith. Consequently, the judge ruled in favor of Benayahu and ordered financial compensation.
Reacting to the verdict, Benayahu stated: "Justice has been served. After he refused to apologize, I was forced to file a defamation lawsuit, and the judge ruled against the defendant. Watch what you type on your keyboards."
