Netanyahu sues former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon for defamation

This case came after Ya'alon accused the Prime Minister of treason.

By BINI ASHKENAZI MARCH 12, 2025 15:57

Former Israeli minister of Defense Moshe "Boogie" Ya'alon at a protest against the arrest of Itzik Medina, a member of the protest movement against Israel's judicial reform, outside the Police station in Petah Tikva, June 26, 2023. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has filed a defamation lawsuit against former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon, claiming that Ya'alon falsely accused him of receiving money from Qatar. "Horrific, ugly, malicious, and baseless lies," the lawsuit states. In response, Ya'alon remarked: "Someone seems nervous about the Shin Bet investigation."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally filed the lawsuit on Tuesday against Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon, accusing him of defamation for alleging that Netanyahu received funds from Qatar.

According to the lawsuit, "On March 9, 2025, during a radio program on Kan Bet hosted by Arieh Golan, the defendant spread defamatory and extreme incitement, claiming as fact that the Prime Minister had received tens of millions of dollars from the State of Qatar, effectively accusing him of treason."

The lawsuit further states: "These are horrific, ugly, malicious, and completely baseless lies against the Prime Minister. The defendant presented his claims not merely as an insult but as a factual assertion, stating that there was intelligence information indicating that the Prime Minister had received tens of millions of dollars from Qatar. These allegations are an absolute falsehood and constitute reckless incitement against the Prime Minister, particularly during wartime, while also implying serious criminal accusations."

Moshe Ya'alon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit Israel Aerospace Industries‏. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)

Ya'alon's defiant response

Ya'alon responded on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "I hear that Hamas's financier intends to sue me. Bring it on! Maybe this will be an opportunity for him to explain the suitcases of cash sent from Qatar to Hamas. Maybe he can address the fact that three of his closest aides were funded by Qatar. Someone seems nervous about the Shin Bet investigation, which has been placed under a gag order."

The lawsuit was filed in the Ramla Magistrate’s Court, with Netanyahu seeking 160,000 shekels in damages.

Denying 'Qatargate'

In a video statement released Tuesday night, Netanyahu strongly denied the allegations, referring to them as "Qatargate" and asserting: "Nothing will stop me from continuing to make the right decisions for Israel's security. These fake scandals keep emerging, inflating like a balloon filled with hot air, only to disappear just as quickly."

Netanyahu also attacked Ya'alon directly in the video, saying, "The public is yawning because they know this is fake. The fabricated cases are collapsing faster than they can be manufactured. I have decided to sue Bogie Ya'alon for spreading this vile lie that I received money from Qatar. I never received a single shekel from Qatar, but I will get something from Bogie—this is just the beginning. Nothing will deter me, not even the extortion campaign against me and my family. We all know where this is coming from, but it won’t stop me."

Ya'alon did not explicitly state that Netanyahu received money from Qatar but instead remarked, "There is unproven intelligence information that warrants an investigation." His comments referred to unverified documents from MEMRI analyst Yigal Carmon, which were published last year after October 7. These documents suggested that the Qatari regime had transferred tens of millions of shekels to Netanyahu over the years.