Dim Amor

While most elected officials have chosen to remain silent in the face of the striking findings contained in a court ruling, attorney Eli Nacht, the deputy mayor, has broken ranks with an unequivocal and unprecedented statement. At the same time, a criminal complaint was filed with the Israel Police yesterday over suspected violations of Israel’s Holocaust Denial Prohibition Law.

The case involving Anastasia Rolovets-Novikova, an Ashdod resident and Israeli citizen who immigrated from Ukraine following her marriage to an Israeli citizen (she is not Jewish and has no connection to Judaism), has entered a new phase. Following Maakav’s disclosure of the court ruling, a prolonged silence at both the municipal and national levels has been broken. While a long list of elected officials have chosen to remain silent and refrain from commenting, Ashdod Deputy Mayor and attorney Eli Nacht has become the first elected official to step forward and publicly voice a forceful condemnation of the actions and serious statements revealed in the case.

Maakav Exclusive: The Court Ruling’s Unusual Findings

On September 27, 2026, Maakav published findings from a ruling in Case No. 2331-02-23 before the Kiryat Gat Magistrate’s Court. The ruling contained a number of unusual judicial findings. Deputy Court President Judge Anat Holata explicitly found that Novikova herself had posted photographs of herself on social media accompanied by the Ukrainian word for "Nazi" – and that she had done so on more than one occasion.

In her ruling, Judge Holata stated: "On more than one occasion, the plaintiff chose to attach to her photograph, in public posts on social media, the word ‘Nazi’ in Ukrainian".

The findings were made in the context of a defamation lawsuit filed by Novikova against social media users. Although the lawsuit was partially upheld because of the defendants’ offensive manner of expression, the court drew a clear distinction between impermissible insults and legitimate criticism of content Novikova herself had published. The court’s bottom line was pointed and unequivocal: "The claim is upheld not because of the publications themselves, but because of the manner in which they were published".

The court also addressed an activity conducted by Novikova at the educational institution under her management, finding that the event had a "politically charged and controversial context" and had been publicly posted by Novikova herself.

Deputy Mayor Eli Nacht: "This Crosses Every Moral Boundary – A Red Line Has Been Crossed"

While other elected officials continue to maintain a resounding silence, Ashdod Deputy Mayor and attorney Eli Nacht provided Maakav with an exclusive statement, delivering a forceful and uncompromising condemnation:

"The matters described in the court transcripts and ruling are shocking and deserve unequivocal condemnation. Using the term ‘Nazi’ as a ‘trend,’ as well as making a remark about ‘another Dolphinarium terrorist attack,’ crosses every moral boundary, particularly in the State of Israel. These things cannot simply be dismissed as a joke or an online provocation.

The court notes that this was the plaintiff’s own publication, showing children waving Ukrainian flags, and that she herself chose to post it on her public profile.

When children are drawn into inflammatory political messaging and public provocations, another red line is crossed. Children in kindergarten are not instruments in a political struggle, and turning them into part of a public campaign is improper and unacceptable".

Criminal Complaint Filed

Developments in the case are no longer confined to the public and municipal arenas. On September 28, 2026, an official criminal complaint was filed with the Israel Police against Anastasia Rolovets-Novikova.

The complaint relies on the court’s findings in Case No. 2331-02-23 concerning repeated publications in which Novikova referred to herself as a "Nazi". It asks police to examine whether there are grounds to suspect a criminal offense under Israel’s Holocaust Denial Prohibition Law. The complaint also refers to the court’s findings concerning an event with a politically charged context held inside the kindergarten.

The complaint is currently being handled by the relevant investigative bodies of the Israel Police under reference number 70643869. It should be stressed that, at this stage, the matter remains under police review, and no determination has been made that a criminal offense was committed.

Elected Officials Remain Silent – More to Come

Eli Nacht’s unequivocal stance throws into sharper relief the resounding silence of other elected officials, who have so far refrained from publicly addressing this serious case. Maakav approached a long list of public officials for comment but was met with widespread silence.

Maakav will continue to closely follow developments in the police inquiry. The publication will also release the full list of elected officials approached, together with their responses – or their decision not to respond – regarding a case that has sent shockwaves through the city.