A judge at the Tel Aviv Magistrates Court has ruled that Erez Lotan, who called activist Sheffi Paz a "Nazi," will compensate her for the defamation.
In the ruling, Judge Ron Goldstein declared that Lotan must pay 17,500 NIS for publicizing defamation, as well as the court fees and lawyer fees, to the tune of 2,000 NIS and 3,000 NIS respectively.
In July 2019, during a demonstration protesting the removal of infiltrators from the Philippines, Paz and a group of activists arrived to demonstrate in support of the government's policy. During the protest, Lotan shouted, "Sheffi is a Nazi," while performing a Nazi salute. The incident was caught on camera.
In June 2020, Lotan published a Facebook post harshly criticizing Paz. The post included a comparison to Nazis as well as serious accusations.
Goldstein rejected Lotan's defense, which included claims of innocence and freedom of expression, stating that the word "Nazi" crosses the boundary of free speech and constitutes defamation.
"The use of the word 'Nazi' in Israel towards a Jew, especially while performing a Nazi salute, is one of the most serious that can be, and capable of causing severe humiliation and embarrassment," he wrote, stressing that there is no proof that Paz's actions stem from racism. "We cannot conclude from the evidence presented that the plaintiff holds racist views."
Attorney Itamar Barkai, who represented Paz, said, "The ruling does not just explain what is obvious - that Sheffi Paz is not a 'Nazi' - it also rejects outright any attempt paint the protest which Sheffi Paz leads in a racist light. This is a clear and very important statement, which we hope will be internalized by all those who wish to criticize Paz and her protest. Relevant criticism is legitimate, but slander and humiliation will be dealt with accordingly."