In a major development in an ongoing defamation case, a court has instructed Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to submit his complete and updated medical records for the judge’s confidential review, as part of a legal battle over claims regarding his health.

The directive was issued Thursday by Judge Menachem Mizrachi, president of the Magistrate’s Court in Ramla, in connection with Netanyahu’s lawsuit against protest activist attorney Gonen Ben Yitzchak and journalist Uri Misgav, whom he accuses of publishing false reports about his medical condition.

Under the ruling, the medical file must be delivered in a sealed and secured envelope directly to the judge’s chambers for private examination. Judge Mizrachi specified that the submission must include a signed statement from Netanyahu’s personal physician, Dr. Tzvi Herman Berkowitz, confirming that the file represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive account of the prime minister’s health.

The central issue in dispute is the timing of the discovery of a cancerous finding in the prostate. Judge Mizrachi noted that although an official annual health report released by the Prime Minister’s Office stated that Netanyahu underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, it did not clearly indicate when the condition was first detected.

“This point is critical to the dispute at the center of the trial,” the judge wrote. About two weeks ago, the Prime Minister’s Office published a medical update stating that on December 29, 2024, Netanyahu underwent a procedure due to benign prostate enlargement, and that a later MRI scan revealed a small area with suspicious characteristics. The key legal question is whether the defendants’ claims were false or based on information that had not been made public.

The lawsuit was filed after attorney Gonen Ben Yitzchak posted allegations on social media claiming that Netanyahu was suffering from pancreatic cancer. “Following your visit last night to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, I received information that you were treated for pancreatic cancer,” he wrote in a post that sparked widespread attention. “I wish you good health, but it is appropriate that the person leading the system stand courageously before the public and reveal his true condition.”

Journalist Uri Misgav later echoed more general claims about Netanyahu’s health, asserting that his condition was impaired in a way that affected his functioning. These claims were strongly rejected by the Prime Minister’s Office, which described them as “absolute lies.”

In addition to requesting the medical file, the defendants asked the court to summon for testimony Prof. Aharon Popovtzer, head of the oncology department at Hadassah, and Dr. Berkowitz. At this stage, Judge Mizrahi declined to call them immediately in order to avoid unnecessary harm to medical privacy, though he left open the possibility for later.

“At the stage of presenting evidence, after the plaintiff’s testimony, the court will issue a further decision regarding the request to summon the two doctors,” the judge ruled. The decision reflects the careful balance between preserving medical confidentiality and establishing the truth in the legal process.

According to the court’s timetable, the medical documents are expected to be submitted by May 13. The judge’s review is expected to clarify the timeline of diagnoses and treatments and help determine whether the contested publications were false or based on undisclosed facts.

Sources close to the prime minister have consistently argued that the claims, including the allegation of pancreatic cancer, are entirely unfounded and were intended to damage Netanyahu’s reputation and public trust. With the medical file now set to be reviewed by the court, further clarity is expected.

{Matzav.com}