The Tel Aviv-Yafo Magistrate's Court accepted Sarah Netanyahu's lawsuit against Silvia Gancia, and ordered Gancia to pay her NIS 100,000 in defamation damages, in addition to NIS 20,000 in attorney's fees and reimbursement of the court fee.
The suit was filed in 2020 over two publications by Gancia in December 2019 and May 2020, which Netanyahu alleges constituted defamation.
Gancia, a former employee at the official residence, did not file her closing arguments by the set deadlines and did not request an extension or provide an explanation for the omission.
Judge Ronen Ilan noted that the defendant was given several opportunities to submit her closing arguments, and the possibility that her counsel was on active reserve duty was even considered, but even after repeated adjournments no response was submitted.
Under the Civil Procedure Regulations, the court ruled that the failure to submit the closing arguments should be treated as a failure to appear, and therefore the decision should be made based on the evidence presented by the plaintiff.
Judge Ilan determined that although Netanyahu did not prove monetary damage, she is entitled to statutory defamation compensation of NIS 50,000 for each publication.
Meanwhile, just about two months ago, a claim filed by Gancia herself against Sarah Netanyahu at the Jerusalem Regional Labor Court was dismissed. In that ruling, Gancia was ordered to pay NIS 20,000 for legal costs after the court found that she conducted the proceedings contemptuously.
Gancia sued for NIS 650,000 in compensation from Netanyahu, the Moriyah staffing company, and the state, alleging mistreatment during her employment at the residence. However, after the close of evidence in May 2019 she refrained from filing closing arguments despite repeated orders and numerous extensions granted.
The ruling sharply criticized her attorney for failing to submit closing arguments, not responding to the court's inquiries and not answering phone calls.
In light of this conduct, the court ordered the claim struck, with an option for Gancia to renew it in the future. However, it was decided that if she seeks to renew it she will be required to pay NIS 10,000 to each of the defendants.