Minister Nir Barkat has activated a defamation-claims fund, financed from his personal funds and chaired by Prof. Moshe Cohen-Elia, to fight a Channel 12 lawsuit against him. Barkat said the fund removes the 'fear barrier' and will defend 'Force 100' soldiers and national camp figures he says are being persecuted by the channel.
Minister Nir Barkat announced the launch of a defamation-claims fund, established with his personal funds and headed by Prof. Moshe Cohen-Elia. The move comes about two weeks after Channel 12 sued Barkat for supporting 'Force 100' soldiers and calling the 'Sde Teiman' affair a 'blood libel.' Barkat stated: 'We have removed the fear barrier against slander from Channel 12 and will fight with all our might to defend Force 100 soldiers and national camp figures who are being persecuted by them.' The fund aims to counter what Barkat describes as an attempt by the channel to silence him and others.
As The Zioneer reported on June 4, a boycott campaign against Channel 12 emerged following the broadcast of a video from the Sde Teiman detention facility, which critics said slandered Force 100 soldiers. The new legal fund represents an escalation of Barkat's personal response to the channel's lawsuit, moving from rhetorical pushback to an institutionalized litigation mechanism.
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