Dim Amor
Ronen Plot, mayor of Nof HaGalil, was ordered this week to pay legal costs of 13,000 shekels to two city residents, after suing them in a defamation lawsuit for 300,000 shekels. The lawsuit was filed following the publication of political criticism against the mayor during the local government election period, but was ultimately dismissed, as the mayor failed to pay the required fee to continue managing the proceedings.
The lawsuit was filed on January 29, 2024, against Maxim Plaston, a social activist in the city, and Yosef Avitbul, administrator of a Facebook group called "Saving Nof HaGalil". Plaston was sued for publishing posts in which he expressed criticism of the mayor's decision to include Arab representatives who expressed support for Palestine in his list. Avitbul was sued solely for being the administrator of the group where the critical posts were published.
Ronen Plot was represented by attorneys Uri Haberman and Guy Cohen from the firm Sharkon Ben Ami and Partners. Maxim Plaston was represented by attorney Yehoshua Rubin, while Yosef Avitbul was represented by attorneys Dov Hirsch and Dorina Korin Hirsch.
The lawsuit was based on two main publications by Plaston. The first was a Facebook post where he wrote: "Anyone who votes for Plot for the city council should know that he is also voting for the Arab list for the council who are not ashamed of their support for Palestine and Gaza!! Just food for thought. A post by Deputy Mayor Shukri Awauda, the one who sits with Plot in the coalition". The post also included photos of Dr. Awauda Shukri with Palestinian flags. The second publication was a TikTok video with a photo of Ronen Plot and the caption: "A vote for Ronen Plot for city council = Palestine supporters on the city council!!".
Background: Nof HaGalil City Council – Between Fake Profiles and Support for Palestine
The Nof HaGalil city council includes several figures who have stirred public controversy and numerous reactions regarding their conduct over the years. One of them is council member David Shinan, who, according to allegations that have emerged, allegedly created fake profiles on the Facebook social network – apparently under the direction of Mayor Ronen Plot. These profiles were used, according to the allegations, to humiliate residents or users who published criticism of the municipality or the mayor.
Dr. Raid Qattas, a city council member, stirred an unusual public storm this year after publishing on social media that "genocide" is taking place in the Gaza Strip. His words provoked harsh reactions, and many residents saw this statement as serious harm to IDF fighters and Israel's struggle against terror. Following the publication, a demonstration with many participants was held in the city in protest of these words. It's worth noting that his brother, Basel Qattas, was previously convicted of crimes of aiding terrorists.
Dr. Awauda Shukri, who previously served as deputy mayor and holds this position today as well, does not hide his identification with the Palestinian cause, and often photographs himself holding Palestinian flags – even within the borders of the State of Israel. Beyond that, Shukri also photographs himself alongside communist symbols and photos of Joseph Stalin – a totalitarian ruler who bears responsibility for the murder of millions of people throughout the former Soviet Union. Additionally, fundamental questions arise regarding building violations that allegedly exist in his private home.
This reality in the city council provides important context for the criticism expressed by Maxim Plaston in his posts. When Plaston wrote about the connection between choosing Ronen Plot and supporting Palestine in the city council, he was referring to an existing and proven reality of council members who indeed support Palestine and express extremist political positions.
In addition to this, questions arise regarding the conduct of the Nof HaGalil municipality spokesperson. From a previous investigation, it emerged that the spokesperson carries out personal requests of Mayor Ronen Plot, which constitutes a significant violation. A municipal spokesperson is supposed to publish only information related to the municipality and not perform personal services for the mayor – which constitutes exploitation of public funds and public resources for private purposes.
This complex of problematic conduct in the city council and municipality provides a broader context for the case of the lawsuit against the social activists. Instead of dealing with the real problems in the council and municipality, the mayor chose to focus on silencing public criticism against them.
Attempts to Hide the Lawsuit Document
When the "Maakav" editorial team approached the mayor to understand the legal basis for the lawsuit and the alleged economic damage in the amount of 300,000 shekels, Ronen Plot refused to provide the complete lawsuit document. This despite the fact that according to defamation law, the fixed compensation is up to 50,000 shekels without proof of damage, and for any amount above that, proof of actual damage is required.
From the parts of the lawsuit document that were received, it appears that the publications on which the lawsuit was based do not contain clear defamation, but rather appear more like legitimate political criticism and freedom of expression. This is especially in light of the fact that Dr. Awauda Shukri, who served as deputy mayor, indeed photographs himself in pictures with Palestinian flags and even with communist symbols and photos of Stalin.
Maxim Plaston told the "Maakav" editorial team in an interview: "During the local government election period, I published a post in which I wrote that anyone who chooses Ronen Plot should know that council members who support Palestine will sit with him in the coalition. Following this, the mayor filed a lawsuit against me claiming defamation and slander of his name, even though this is completely legitimate political criticism".
Plaston added: "The lawsuit also claims that he was damaged – despite the fact that he won 98% of the voters' votes and was extensively covered in national media. The question arises: if so, where exactly is the damage? In practice, after the elections, the mayor indeed added the Arab list to the coalition, whose members expressed public support for Palestine and openly came out against the State of Israel. That is, the criticism I expressed was not only legitimate – but also proved to be correct".
The Judge Recommended Withdrawing from the Lawsuit
In the pre-trial proceedings, Judge Daniel Kirs noted that this concerns legitimate political criticism that contains no defamation. The judge even recommended that the plaintiff consider continuing the proceedings and consider withdrawing from it. Despite this, the mayor chose to continue the lawsuit – but did not complete payment of the remaining fee required for conducting the evidence stage. Due to this, as reported to "Maakav" by Maxim Plaston, the lawsuit was dismissed.
In addition to this, the court ordered the mayor to pay 13,000 shekels in legal costs to the defendants, who were forced to hire legal representation to deal with a lawsuit filed against them by the mayor – a figure with power and prestige in the city.
After the lawsuit was dismissed, the mayor did not give up and filed a request to the court to cancel the dismissal of the proceedings. In this request, he claimed that the fee was not paid due to "the war with Iran" on June 13, 2025. However, Judge Daniel Kirs noted in his decision of June 23, 2025, that the final date for paying the fee was June 8, 2025, a date when there was no war with Iran. The judge rejected the request and did not accept the mayor's arguments. Thus, he conveyed a clear message to Mr. Plot: court regulations are binding on every person, even if he serves as mayor – and no one is above the law.
Attorney Yehoshua Rubin, who represented Maxim Plaston, told the "Maakav" editorial team: "In my opinion, this is a lawsuit devoid of any foundation. It probably won't be filed again. It was filed as a silencing lawsuit. It's interesting to check whether it was funded from local authority funds or from the mayor's personal pocket. If it's money from the public treasury, it would be appropriate for the mayor to return the entire expense for the lawsuit – fee and attorney's fee – to the municipality treasury".
Rubin added: "Insofar as it concerns funds from the municipality treasury, the procedure is contrary to law, because there is a need to employ external representation in the proceedings, according to a Ministry of Interior circular, and in Nof HaGalil municipality they do not appoint external representation according to the circular. In order to make clarifying the cost of external representation difficult – therefore the Ministry of Interior in this matter".
Attorney Dov Hirsch, who represented Yosef Avitbul, published a Facebook post where he wrote: "The mayor of Nazareth Illit lost to our firm again and will pay another 13,000 shekels. Ronen Plot lost to our firm again in a defamation case. Before the last local government elections, he sued for defamation two city residents who criticized him politically for joining Arab lists to the city council. In the first hearing, the court made it clear to him that he wouldn't come out well from this lawsuit, so he preferred not to pay the fee and lose technically. In the previous loss, there was an obligation for costs of 14,000 shekels. This time 'only' 13,000 shekels".
When Political Criticism Meets Expensive Lawsuits
Attorney Yehoshua Rubin raises fundamental questions regarding public funds and the silencing lawsuit, however, at this stage, the "Maakav" editorial team does not hold information regarding the source of payment for the fee for the lawsuit filed by Ronen Plot – whether from public funds or from his personal pocket. According to Attorney Rubin's words, the case raises many questions regarding the use of public funds and the conduct of Nof HaGalil municipality. In a previous investigation, after we received information that Ronen Plot exploits the spokesperson department for personal matters, an apparent suspicion arises of exploiting public funds for private purposes.
When the "Maakav" editorial team approached Mayor Ronen Plot for a response, several questions were sent to him: "As head of a public authority, how do you explain the fact that you did not comply with court regulations, which led to waste of expensive judicial time? Did you think you could file lawsuits and not bear their economic consequences in case of rejection? Another question arises – was this a silencing lawsuit? This is at least claimed in the defense brief. Can you send me the complete lawsuit document for journalistic examination?".
The mayor's response was brief: "Tell your friend that the celebration is premature".
The case demonstrates the dilemmas facing local authorities regarding the boundaries of political criticism and freedom of expression. The lawsuit filed for 300,000 shekels against residents who expressed legitimate political criticism could be perceived as an attempt to silence public criticism. This is especially when the lawsuit was filed by a public official with power and prestige against private citizens.
The fact that the judge recommended the mayor withdraw from the lawsuit, and in addition it was determined that the fee payment required to continue the proceedings was not paid, as raised by Mr. Plaston, raises questions regarding the real motives behind filing the lawsuit. Was the lawsuit's intention really to obtain compensation for damage caused, or is this an attempt to intimidate and silence residents who expressed criticism?
The economic question is no less important. Since the lawsuit failed and the mayor was ordered to pay legal costs, the question arises whether the expenses for the lawsuit – including the fees of the respected attorneys who represented him – were funded from municipality funds or from his private pocket. If it concerns public funds, then their use for a personal lawsuit against city residents raises serious ethical and legal questions.
Apparently, the case clearly emphasizes the importance of judicial system independence and its resilience against political pressures. Judge Daniel Kirs was not satisfied with just dismissing the lawsuit, but also rejected the mayor's late attempt to renew the proceedings, while conveying a clear and principled message – court regulations apply to everyone without exception, including holders of public positions.
In the end, the lawsuit that was supposedly intended to protect the mayor's honor brought about the opposite result – an obligation to pay legal costs and damage to reputation. The residents who were sued ultimately won, and the political criticism they expressed was not only recognized as legitimate but also proved to be accurate, when the mayor indeed included Arab representatives who expressed support for Palestine in his list.
Main photo: The court (Photo by Maakav) Mr. Ronen Plot – Photo from the mayor's official Facebook page, in accordance with the instructions of section 27a'
