In short
How long do you have to file a defamation claim in Israel?
Under the Prohibition of Defamation Law, 5725-1965, there is no special limitation period for a civil claim, so the general period under the Limitation Law applies: seven years from the publication. It is better to act quickly, because evidence fades and posts get deleted. In some cases the law allows compensation without proof of damage, so keep dated screenshots and links from the day of publication.
What Counts as Defamation
The Prohibition of Defamation Law, 5725-1965, prohibits publishing about a person anything that may humiliate them in the eyes of others, degrade them, harm them in their position, business or profession, or make them an object of hatred, contempt or ridicule. A company or a business can also be harmed by defamation.
The publication does not have to appear in a newspaper. A Facebook post, a message in a neighborhood WhatsApp group, an online review or a letter sent to others can all count as a publication, if they were intended for someone other than the person harmed and reached that person.
Compensation Without Proof of Damage
The law allows the court to award compensation without the injured party proving any damage, up to an amount whose statutory base is NIS 50,000 and which is linked to the consumer price index. When it is proven that the publication was made with intent to harm, the maximum is doubled.
Beyond compensation, the court may be asked to order the publication of a correction or denial and to prohibit further distribution. Before filing a claim, a warning letter is usually sent demanding that the publication be removed and an apology be published.
Sued Over a Publication: The Defenses in the Law
A person who is sued is not without defenses. The most familiar is the truth defense (section 14 of the Law): what was published was true, and there was a public interest in the publication. Both conditions are required, and the burden of proving them is on the publisher.
Another defense is good faith, in the situations the law lists, for example expressing an opinion on the conduct of a person in a public capacity or in connection with a public matter, or a complaint to a competent authority. The court also examines whether the publication went beyond what was reasonable in the circumstances.
Before responding online or deleting anything, it is advisable to get advice and keep a copy of the publication and the responses to it. A careless public response can make matters worse, for both sides.
What the service includes
- Warning letters and demands to remove a publication
- Defamation claims
- Defense against defamation claims
- Publications on social networks and in WhatsApp groups
- Harmful reviews of businesses
When to contact us
- A harmful post, comment or review was published about you
- Your business is being smeared online
- You received a warning letter about something you published
- A defamation claim was filed against you
What to bring to the meeting
- Screenshots of the publication, with date and link
- Screenshots of the comments and shares
- Details of the publisher, if known
- Letters and requests already sent
Defamation throughout Israel
The firm represents clients from all over Israel: Jerusalem and the Shfela, Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and Ashkelon, Haifa and the North, the Sharon and Gush Dan. Meetings take place at our two Modiin branches, at the WE Towers branch in Tel Aviv or by video call, and documents can be sent in advance on WhatsApp. We represent clients in the courts, the Labor Courts and before planning committees throughout Israel. How we work with clients across Israel.
Frequently asked questions
How much compensation can be awarded in a defamation claim?
The court may award compensation without proof of damage up to the statutory amount, whose base is NIS 50,000 and which is linked to the consumer price index, doubled when intent to harm is proven. Based on the September 2026 index, that is about NIS 84,000, and about NIS 168,000 when intent to harm is proven. This is a ceiling, not a fixed amount: the court sets the compensation according to the severity of the words, the scope of the publication and the conduct of the parties. A person who proves greater damage can claim the damage itself.
What do you need to prove in a defamation claim?
That something was published about you that may humiliate or degrade you or harm you in your work (section 1 of the Law), and that it reached a person other than you (section 2). The burden then shifts to the publisher, who must prove a defense recognized by the law, for example that the statements were true and there was a public interest in the publication. A person who merely repeated a rumor heard from others must prove that the content itself is true. To receive compensation up to the statutory ceiling, you do not need to prove damage.
Can a post in a WhatsApp group be defamation?
Yes. A publication is something intended for a person other than the one harmed that reached that person, so a message in a group, a post or a comment online can all be a defamatory publication.
What does a defamation warning letter ask for?
Usually that the publication be removed and that an apology or correction be published, and sometimes compensation as well. The letter also documents that the publisher was aware of the claims, which matters if the case goes to court.
How do I document an online publication?
Keep screenshots showing the publication, the publisher's name, the date and the responses, and save the link. Document it quickly, because publications get deleted.
Can I sue over a negative Google review?
A review that expresses an opinion about a service the writer received is treated differently from a review that attributes facts to the business. When a review includes false and harmful factual claims, it can be defamation. Each case is examined according to its wording.
