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Sara Netanyahu loses abuse case against domestic helper

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The Israeli state has been ordered to pay over NIS 170,000 (£30,000) in a civil case brought against Sara Netanyahu by a former domestic helper.

On Wednesday, the Jerusalem Region Labour Court found that Meny Naftali had suffered abuse while working for the Israeli prime minister and his wife, and that he had not been paid for a number of overtime hours.

“I showed everyone that David can beat Goliath,” Mr Naftali said. “I knew all along that I would win and everyone in the case knew this. This is just the beginning for me. I don’t wish on anyone that they go through what I go through.”

Mr Naftali testified earlier this year that Mrs Netanyahu was a heavy drinker, demanding champagne throughout the day. He also claimed that officials from the Prime Minister’s Office had broken promises of a promotion and that they had waged an incitement and intimidation campaign against him, including breaking into his home.

In May, Mrs Netanyahu testified describing the allegations as “baseless lies”, adding “most of the things I see in the media are incorrect.”

The court rejected a second defamation claim against the Prime Minister by Mr Naftali however, saying the Prime Minister’s contested comments were too general to be defamatory.

Representatives of the Netanyahu family have publicly accused Mr Naftali of having political motives.

This is one of two cases against the Prime Minister’s Office in which Sara Netanyahu is accused of assaulting and abusing her domestic employees. Guy Eliahu, a former maintenance man, is suing the Prime Minister's Office over wrongful dismissal and mistreatment.

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