In an Israeli civil wrong lawsuit an Internet forum operator (the defendant) had been accused of libel and was obliged to pay a reimbursement of 100,000 NIS (~29,000$) to the plaintiff, a municipal veterinarian.

According to the Israeli Magistrates Court, the Internet forum owner injured the reputation and status of the plaintiff in the community by giving stage to different offensive defamations which ascribed the plaintiff deeds of corruptions and bride.

The court held that the defendant is responsible in virtue of its capacity as an Internet forum operator and accused her of being negligent for allowing the defaming publications and not removing them from its website.

In its decision the court took in to consideration the scope of those injuring publications as well as the long period of time they appeared on the website. The court also attributed importance to the fact that in its testimony the defendant did not show any kind of remorse or regret for all the wrong and damages its actions caused the plaintiff.

 This is not the first time the Israeli court house emphasizes the importance of remorse and regret in such cases and that this factor is certainly taken in to account while determining and evaluating the amount of reimbursement. 

In case the defendant would have apologized for publishing those defamations either in her testimony or by an apology announcement in the website, it is almost quite certain that the amount of reimbursement would have been lower.