The Kohelet Forum has been known in recent months as one of the bodies most slandered by the left in Israel, the forum's management has experienced demonstrations and a break-in to their offices in Jerusalem, slander from some of the media, and more. Now, they are fighting back.
The conflict between the forum and Israelโs left is all because of their involvement in and promotion of the government coalition's plan to reform the judiciary; according to the left, Kohelet acts as the driver of the reform. However, for the first time since the beginning of the protest, the Kohelet Forum issued a statement in which they mention a defamation lawsuit against the Israeli news outlet โMakoโ.
ืืืืจื ืืฉื ืื ืืืืืืื ืืืืืฉืื ืืืืจืื ืื ืืืืื ื ืืืคืืง ืจื ืืืืก ืืฉืงืจืื, ืืกืืืืคืื ืืืืฉืืฆืืช ืฉืกืืคื ืืคืืจืื ืืกืืคืืื ืืืงืจืื ืืขืืืชืื. ืืจืื ืืืืืืช ื ืืฆื ืื ืฉืืจื ื ืกืืืื ืืื. ืืขืจืืช MAKO ืืฆืชื ืืืื ืืืชื ื ืกืื ืืฉืืืฆืืื ืฉืืืฉืืจื ืขืฆืจื ืืืืจืื ืืืจืืื ืืืฉื ืืชืงืืคื ืืืืื. ืืืจืืช ืคื ืืืชื ื ืื ื ืื ืขื ืืืคืจืกื ืชืืงืื.โฆ pic.twitter.com/bhBSyVIJ2w
โ ืคืืจืื ืงืืืช Kohelet (@KoheletForum) May 2, 2023
According to the forum, the news outlet crossed a line when it falsely published that the police arrested senior members of the Kohelet Forum on suspicion of a violent attack. According to the statement, despite an official appeal and notice on behalf of Kohelet, Mako refused to correct the false report and take it off the air.
The Kohelet Forum stated (English translation of the Hebrew Tweet Above): "Over the years, and especially in recent months, we have shown great restraint in relation to the lies, distortions, and slanders suffered by the forum and by its researchers and colleagues. Many boundaries were crossed and we remained tolerant. The Mako outlet crossed an intolerable boundary when it released that the police had arrested senior members of the organization on suspicion of a violent attack. Despite our appeal, they refrained from publishing corrections. Yesterday we filed a defamation lawsuit, a modest contribution to improving the media discourse in Israel. We will donate the amount we receive to a worthy cause."
The background to the lawsuit is an incident in which leftist activists from various organizations, broke into the Kohelet offices, and protested aggressively. The members of the Forum called the police, who arrived and detained some of the rioters. However, in the report on the Mako website, it was stated that the police also arrested some of the leaders of the forum.
๐๏ธโEvery time I close my eyesโ. The thirteen weeks of Judicial Reform nightmare with @chuck_freilich @MirYamInstituteโs @BenAnthony1948 and @YaakovLappin and @KoheletForumโs Prof. Avi Bell. Also featuring @piersmorganโs exclusive with #Netanyahu https://t.co/wUGKjhVAph
โ Jonny Gouldโs Jewish State Podcast and 24/7 Radio (@jonnygouldpod) May 1, 2023
The protesters also waved signs reading "Kohelet promotes hatred of the poor" and "There is no God for racists." The break-in occurred when the employees of the research institute were in the offices of Givat Shaul in Jerusalem while busy attending various meetings connected to Judicial reform. It should be noted that the head of the legal department, Dr. Aviad Bakshi, currently serves as a member of the negotiation team on an agreed outline for the judicial reform at the President's residence.
