Efi Naveh's phones revealed everything - and Hadas Shteif pays the price | The full story

The verdict in the Efi Naveh phone affair places primary responsibility on journalist Hadas Shteif, ruling that she was the main instigator in extracting information from Naveh's phones, severely violating his privacy. The judge rejected her claim of no involvement with the private investigator, and ordered her and the state to pay Naveh 450,000 shekels.

The verdict in the Efi Naveh phone affair, after a legal process spanning over six years, places the primary legal responsibility on journalist Hadas Shteif. The judge ruled that Shteif was the main instigator who initiated the connection between Naveh's ex-wife, Hani, and a private investigator named Yuli, for the purpose of extracting information from Naveh's mobile phones. It was determined that Shteif was aware of the improper manner in which the information was obtained—technological hacking—and even instructed Yuli on how to sort the content to serve the journalistic investigation. The judge rejected Shteif's claim that she is not responsible for Yuli's actions. In contrast, the other defendants from Galei Tzahal—Elkabetz, Shahar, Kanti, and Barkai—were acquitted of the charges, and it was ruled that they acted in good faith and that their actions are protected under the Privacy Protection Law, as they were unaware of the improper means of obtaining the materials. The judge determined that the core of the privacy violation is the very rummaging through personal content, not the publication of Naveh's wrongful acts. However, it was ruled that a journalist cannot be an active participant in a crime and be shielded by the law. Shteif and the state were jointly and severally ordered to pay Naveh 450,000 shekels, legal costs, and an additional sum.