MK Itamar Ben-Gvir Sues TV Program For Libel After It Claims He Instigated Settler Terror, Molested Minor

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Jewish Force leader MK Itamar Ben-Gvir announced Monday that he would sue the popular investigative TV program Uvda for libel, as well as former hilltop settler Roni Chen. The program had claimed that Ben-Gvir instigated controversial “price tag” punitive activities by settlers against Arabs. Moreover Chen claimed that Ben-Gvir had harassed her, a claim which Ben-Gvir hotly denied.

Ben-Gvir claimed that BDS activist Gilad Pollack had approached Chen on numerous occasions and offered her large sums of money to testify against him and slander him, accusing him of sexual harassment. Ben-Gvir added that the entire investigation was designed to harm him politically as polls predict him gaining more support and popularity in recent months.

Ben-Gvir added that “the Uvda producers libelled me, slandered and defamed me and did not do their job properly or verify the information before publishing it and for this they will pay a lot of money.”

Ben-Gvir has historically sued on many occasions for libel and has won many of the suits.

After the program was aired, the network brought a response from Ben-Gvir’s wife, who said that when the two were a young couple they would host youths who had dropped out of their educational systems, many of whom were floating aimlessly, angry at the world and suffering from drug or alcoholic abuse. Ben-Gvir said that the couple gave them “food, sleep, a good word and endless attention.”

One day a girl called Chana Chananya, now known as Roni Chen, arrived and told them of her difficulties with her parents as she was “not religious enough”, smoked and acted insolently. Chananya had asked to be in their house for a few days and they agreed.

“I know we gave her love, acceptance, respect, food and a warm house,” Ben-Gvir said, adding that “I know we did something good. I noted then that she would do almost anything for attention but I ignored this as I wanted to help her. I don’t regret what we did despite all the lies she might tell about us for a little attention. It is upsetting that we let her in and then she stabs us like this so many years afterwards.”