Protest leader sues Likud MK for false claim of Hamas affiliation

Israeli anti-judicial reform protest leader Shikma Bressler announced that she has filed a NIS 2.6m. defamation suit against Likud MK Tally Gotliv as well as six additional online influencers for resharing Gotliv's false claims about Bressler.

Last week, Gotliv falsely claimed that Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, knew of Bressler having "communicated with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar before October 7."

Not only did Bressler quickly deny this, but so did Mossad, who said that the claim was a "recycled falsehood" and was "the second time MK Gotliv spread baseless lies."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, head of the party to which Gotliv belongs, also denied these allegations.

Could Tally Gotliv be probed for 'aiding the enemy in war'?

In the claim letter, Bressler and her legal team revealed that they had turned to the head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division of Israel Police, demanding an investigation into Gotliv for a multitude of infractions, including "aiding the enemy in war, revealing confidential information in violation of the General Security Service Law, defeatist propaganda, abuse of official power, breach of trust, and defamation."

"This claim is filed in view of the blatant, conspiratorial, and permeating collection of lies that were spread in the case of the plaintiff and her partner (who is a public servant)," the 15-page claim letter stated. "At the heart of the claims is ... an accusation of treason against [the plaintiff's] homeland, in connection with the terrorist organization Hamas" as well as the placing of blame for "the terrible massacre carried out by its terrorists on October 7."

According to the letter, Gotliv and the other defendants published that US intelligence agencies supposedly intercepted a conversation between Bressler's partner and Sinwar, then proceeded to publish the "lie" about Bressler supposedly meeting with Mossad head David Barnea as a result.

Gotliv also allegedly published false connections between Bressler and Israel's intelligence and security systems, suggesting that this contributed and led up to the massacre on October 7. She then, according to the letter, went on to claim that Bressler ran away from the country after the war broke out and deleted social media posts with "evidence" that may incriminate her.

"Even in an era when the public is forced, reluctantly, to navigate its way almost every day between 'fake news' spreaders, who are averse to truth and expertise - the claims that are the subject of the present lawsuit stand out for their lies, their morbidness and their turning their backs on reality," the letter further read.

Gotliv does not plan to remove her political immunity

Gotliv was quick to respond via X (formerly Twitter), saying that "Bressler missed the limelight" and, rather than retracting her statements or reiterating that she stands by them, reminded the public that her "immunity is substantial and enshrined in law" and that she has "no intention of removing it."

הגב׳ ברסלר התגעגעה לאור הזרקורים ופרסמה שהיא הגישה תביעה נגדי. אני שבה ומבהירה כי החסינות שלי היא מהותית ומעוגנת בחוק ואין לי כוונה להסיר אותה. צר לי לאכזב את הגב׳ שאחראית עם חבריה בין השאר לתופת שהתרחשה עלינו.(ברסלר את מחוייבת במסירה אישית ויש לך את הקשרים שלך להשיג את כתובתי)

— טלי גוטליב (@TallyGotliv) February 1, 2024

"I am sorry to disappoint the lady who, with her friends, is responsible, among other things, for the inferno that happened to us," Gotliv said, once again blaming the anti-judicial reform protestors for the October 7 massacre. 

She once again suggested that Bressler has connections in high places, adding in parentheses, "Bressler, you are obligated to deliver [the claim] in person, and you have connections that can acquire my address."