A Nof HaGalil court ordered influencer Maria Gideon to pay NIS 21,000 to an officer she called a “traitor” in videos after he gave her a NIS 1,000 ticket.
A social media influencer has been ordered to pay NIS 21,000 to a police officer she called a “traitor” in videos posted after he gave her a traffic ticket.
Officer Muhammad Hajajra cited Maria Gideon in May 2025 for using her phone while driving, a NIS 1,000 fine. Gideon, who has about 100,000 followers on Instagram and 230,000 on TikTok, filmed the encounter and later posted videos attacking him, calling him a “traitor” and mocking his decision to serve in the Israel Police.
Hajajra, who is Arab, said the videos led to dozens of messages from family and friends, along with abusive comments and threats. He said the word “traitor” hurt him especially as a member of Arab society who chose a career in law enforcement. He sued for NIS 35,000.
Gideon argued that the ticket was unjustified and that the officer had insulted her. Senior Registrar Suleiman Amer of the Nof HaGalil Small Claims Court rejected her claims, finding no proof that the officer insulted her. He ruled that the videos were clear-cut defamation meant to make the officer an object of hatred, contempt and ridicule.
“A dispute over a traffic ticket does not grant permission to humiliate an officer on social media,” the registrar wrote.
Amer noted the videos’ wide reach (one received more than 12,700 likes and 1,180 shares) and that Gideon never apologized. He found the case more serious than earlier rulings in which officers were awarded NIS 7,000–7,500, and ordered Gideon to pay NIS 20,000 in damages plus NIS 1,000 in costs.
