Gabi Aronov Ordered to Pay 90,000 Shekels to Benny Gantz Over Defamation
A social media user has been ordered to pay 90,000 shekels in damages to National Unity leader Benny Gantz for spreading false conspiracy theories alleging Gantz's involvement in the October 7 Hamas attack.
Gabi Aronov, a citizen who disseminated what became known as the "treason theory" on social media, has been ordered to pay 90,000 shekels in damages to National Unity leader Benny Gantz following severe allegations published against him regarding the October 7 Hamas attack.
At the center of the legal proceedings were publications claiming that Gantz was allegedly involved in a plot designed to facilitate the lethal terror onslaught. The ruling stated that Aronov attributed to Gantz "a conspiracy intended to allow the Hamas attack on October 7 in order to topple the Netanyahu government."
The claims published by Aronov blended into what social media dubbed the "treason theory," under which various allegations were circulated regarding the circumstances leading up to the October 7 assault. In this case, the publications framed Gantz as part of a conspiracy supposedly aimed at bringing down the government by allowing Hamas to carry out the attack.
The legal proceedings concluded with Aronov being ordered to pay a significant compensation of 90,000 shekels to Gantz. Following the verdict, the office of the National Unity leader announced that Gantz does not intend to keep the compensation funds for himself, stating that the amount received from Aronov will be donated.
