A doctor from the city of London in Ontario province, doing humanitarian work in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, filed a lawsuit against the owner of the "Rebel News" website for defamation, claiming that a social media post and a related article damaged his reputation.

In a post dated November 16, 2023, on the "X" platform (formerly "Twitter"), conservative political commentator and activist Ezra Levant described the Canadian-Palestinian doctor Tariq Lubani as a "longtime activist in the (Palestinian) Hamas movement working outside Ontario."

The post included two links, one to a column written by Levant himself in the "Toronto Sun" in 2013, in which the writer details Lubani’s arrest in Egypt and describes him as an "extremist activist."

The other link was to an article in the "National Post" in 2023 covering an assault charge brought by the London municipal police against Lubani after the London office of Liberal Member of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos was sprayed with ketchup during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on October 22 following the current war between Israel and Hamas.

"As of January 17, 2024, the post put up by Levant on November 16, 2023, on the X platform was viewed at least 32,200 times, retweeted 321 times, shared with accompanying comments at least 9 times, liked 541 times, bookmarked 12 times, and replied to 26 times," the lawsuit filed before the Ontario Superior Court in London stated.

According to court documents, comments on Levant’s post included calls to "deport Lubani," urging the Canadian-Palestinian doctor’s employers to be aware of his "behavior," and another call to "revoke his medical license in Ontario."

The documents also allege that the "X" post and the republication of the 2013 "Toronto Sun" column damaged Dr. Lubani’s reputation and will continue to do so, adding that Levant "showed a cruel and deliberate disregard for Dr. Lubani’s rights" and increased his humiliation and anxiety.

Lubani is seeking $2.1 million in damages and a permanent court order against Levant requiring him to delete the posts concerning him.

None of Dr. Lubani’s claims have been proven in court.

The defense memorandum has not yet been submitted. However, in an email to the CBC News network, Levant said he would defend himself in the lawsuit brought against him, describing it as a "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation" (SLAPP), a civil suit intended to silence political criticism.

"It is a clear attempt by Lubani to silence a Jewish journalist speaking out against Hamas terrorism," Levant, who is part of the Jewish community, wrote in an email.

It is noted that the Islamist Hamas movement is listed among terrorist organizations in Canada and many other countries.

The assault charge against Lubani related to the office of MP Fragiskatos is still before the court.