Defamation: what it is, what the law says and which defenses exist

The defenses are examined on the merits of each publication, so the check starts with the publication itself. After that: representation in defamation claims, or a reply to a demand you received.

This page is a map of the area according to what happened. What defamation is, what the law provides and the sections discussed on the site: the Prohibition of Defamation Law. How much compensation you can get: Defamation claim: amounts and compensation without proof of damage.

Focused services

• Defamation lawyer in Israel: protecting your reputation: representing injured people and those who are sued, removal demands and claims.
• Defamation on Facebook and in WhatsApp groups: evidence, removal and claims: a post, a comment or a message in a group.
• A false Google review of your business: report, letter and claim: a review of your business that looks false.

What the law provides

The legal framework in this area rests on the following laws. The links lead to the original legislation (in Hebrew); the binding text is the one published in Sefer HaHukim (the official gazette of statutes).

• Prohibition of Defamation Law, 5725-1965
• Protection of Privacy Law, 5741-1981
• Commercial Torts Law, 5759-1999

Legislation index: all the sections the site discusses →

The legal definition and the publication test

Section 1 of the Prohibition of Defamation Law defines defamation as a publication that may humiliate a person or degrade them in the eyes of others, harm them in their work, occupation or business, or degrade them because of their race, origin, religion, place of residence, age, sex, sexual orientation or disability. The test is objective - whether the publication was likely to harm a reasonable person in the eyes of the public - and does not depend on the publisher’s subjective intention or on how the injured person feels. The publication can be in writing, oral, in a picture or by any other means, provided it reached at least one person other than the injured person - that is, even a comment in a closed group or a private message to a third person may count as a publication.

Compensation without proof of damage and the publisher’s defenses

Section 7A of the Law allows the injured person to claim statutory compensation without proving actual damage. The amounts stated in the Law - NIS 50,000, and double that amount if it was proved that the publication was made with intent to harm - are base amounts from 1998, and they are updated on the 16th of each month under section 7A(e), linked to the consumer price index. As of the update of 16 October 2026, the ceiling under 7A(b) is NIS 84,038.36 and under 7A(c) - NIS 168,076.72. On the other side, the Law has defenses that may cancel or reduce liability: publishing the truth when there is a public interest in it, an opinion expressed in good faith, and section 19 (“mitigation”), which allows the court to consider mitigating circumstances when setting the remedy. It is important to remember that the Protection of Privacy Law, 5741-1981 and the Commercial Torts Law, 5759-1999 may apply alongside the Defamation Law, when the harmful publication also exposes personal details or harms a competing business.

A numerical example

An employee posted a claim on social media, without checking or any basis, that their former employer “cheats customers and does not pay employees”. Even without proving an actual drop in the number of customers, the employer can claim statutory compensation under section 7A up to the index-linked ceiling - NIS 84,038.36 as of the update of 16 October 2026; if it proves that the publication was made with intent to harm - for example that the employee knew the statements were not true - the ceiling is double that amount, NIS 168,076.72 (as of the update of 16 October 2026), without having to prove an exact financial loss.

The two main guides in this area: Defamation claim — the amounts, the defenses and the burden of proof, and Defamation online — removal, identifying the publisher and compensation. Alongside them, the index of sections of the Prohibition of Defamation Law and the index of sections of the Commercial Torts Law.

What happened to you? A map of the area by situation

The same law applies to all sides, but the questions are different: someone who was harmed asks what they can demand, someone who received a letter asks what defenses they have, a business asks what to do about a review, and someone written about in a newspaper asks what they can demand from the editor. Choose the situation closest to yours.

Something harmful was published about you

Defamation is something whose publication may humiliate a person in the eyes of others, degrade them, or harm them in their position, business, occupation or profession (section 1). It is enough that the publication reached one person other than the injured person, and in writing it is enough that it was likely to reach them (section 2). The first step is documentation, before the publication is deleted, and after it a written demand, a report to the platform or proceedings.

• A Facebook post or a WhatsApp message: what to document and how to demand removal
• Defamation and libel online: removal, identifying the publisher and compensation
• A warning letter before a defamation claim: what it should include and what not
• Defamation claims in Israel: how much is awarded, and what you must prove
• Cyberbullying: what the law allows you to do against those who harm you
• Deepfakes: four legal routes in Israel

You received a warning letter or a statement of claim

The Law lists privileged publications that cannot be the basis of any proceeding (section 13), the truth defense when there is also a public interest in the publication (section 14), and the good-faith defense in the circumstances in section 15. Section 16 sets presumptions both ways: a presumption of good faith when the publication was made in one of the circumstances in section 15 and did not go beyond what is reasonable, and a presumption of lack of good faith, for example when the statement was not true and the publisher did not take reasonable measures to check it. An apology, correction or denial published in the place, to the extent and in the manner in which the defamation was published, and not qualified, is a mitigating consideration in compensation (section 19(4)).

• Sued for defamation? Warning letter, the defenses and the first steps
• Representation in defamation claims, also for those who are sued

A business that received a review

A business can also be an injured party: a “person” in the definition of defamation is an individual or a corporation (section 1). On the other hand, criticism in good faith of an act the injured person did in public can be protected (section 15(6)), and the line runs between expressing an opinion and attributing a fact. Attributing a fact that is not true, without the writer having taken reasonable measures to check it before the publication, creates a presumption that the publication was not made in good faith (section 16(b)(2)). When the review comes from a competitor, the Commercial Torts Law may also apply.

• A false Google review: what to keep and what you can demand
• The Commercial Torts Law: the sections discussed on the site

A publication in a newspaper, on radio or on television

A “media outlet” for the purpose of the Law is a newspaper and radio and television broadcasts provided to the public (section 11(c)). If the injured person demanded, in a demand signed by them, that a correction or denial be published, and it was not published in the place, to the extent, with the prominence and in the manner in which the defamation was published and within a reasonable time, the good-faith defense will not be available to the editor, to whoever actually decided on the publication, and to the person responsible for the media outlet (section 17(a)). Someone about whom it was published that a criminal investigation was opened against them, that an indictment was filed against them or that they were convicted, and it was later decided to close the case, not to file an indictment or to stay the proceedings, or who was acquitted or whose appeal was accepted, may demand in writing that the media outlet publish the latest decision (section 25A).

• Was something false published about you? How to respond and sue
• Press freedom: limits and responsibility

The harm is also to privacy

Not every harmful publication is defamation. Publishing a person’s photograph in public in circumstances where the publication may humiliate or degrade them, or publishing a matter concerning the intimacy of their personal life or their state of health, is an invasion of privacy (section 2(4) and (11) of the Protection of Privacy Law, 5741-1981). Sometimes the same publication gives rise to both causes of action.

• Compensation for invasion of privacy: claims and case law

The guides in this area (11)

All the indexed guides on the site in this area. Each guide states the legislation it relies on.

• Cyberbullying: what the law allows you to do against those who harm you
• Content removed from a platform: what your rights are in Israel
• Defamation claims in Israel: how much is awarded, and what you must prove
• Defamation and libel online: removal, identifying the publisher and compensation
• Deepfakes: four legal routes in Israel
• Press freedom: limits and responsibility
• Was something false published about you? How to respond and sue
• A warning letter before a defamation claim: what it should include and what not
• Sued for defamation? Warning letter, the defenses and the first steps
• The right to be forgotten in Israel: removing information from the internet and from search results
• How to file a defamation claim: in which court, and what to write in the statement of claim

FAQ

What is the difference between criminal and civil defamation?
Publishing defamation to one or more people other than the injured person is a civil wrong that gives a right to compensation (section 7); publishing it with intent to harm to two or more people other than the injured person is also a criminal offense punishable by one year’s imprisonment (section 6), over which the injured person may file a private criminal complaint (section 8).

The post was in a closed group with only five members. Is it still defamation?
Yes, it can be. Section 2 of the Law treats a publication as a publication of defamation if it reached at least one person other than the injured person, and in writing - if it was likely to reach such a person - so a message in a closed group, a comment on a post or a private text message also meet the definition.

When does defamation also overlap with invasion of privacy or a commercial tort?
When a defamatory publication also exposes personal information (for example a private photograph), it may also breach the Protection of Privacy Law; and when the defamation concerns a competing business and describes its products falsely, it may also be a commercial tort under section 2 of the Commercial Torts Law. It is sometimes possible to sue under several laws at the same time.

Is truth a complete defense against a defamation claim?
Publishing the truth is a defense only when there is also a public interest in disclosing it. A true statement that has no public interest, and that was meant only to humiliate, will not necessarily qualify for this defense.

For collected answers in all practice areas, see the FAQ page, and for the map of services — all practice areas.

All the questions on the site about defamation and reputation, grouped by page, and each question links to its answer.

For short definitions with the section of the law, for example defamation, publication and truth defense (“emet dibarti”), see the glossary of legal terms.

Calculators and self-checks in employment and consumer law: see the calculators and tools page.

The content of this page is general information, is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Translated: 12 November 2026 · Hebrew version updated: 4 October 2026.