Israel’s attorney general has ordered an investigation into Sara Netanyahu on suspicion of harassing political opponents.
Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to launch an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a key witness in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara unveiled the announcement on Thursday, saying the probe would focus on the findings of an investigation into Sara Netanyahu that aired on the Uvda programme on Israel’s Channel 12.
The investigation uncovered WhatsApp messages in which Ms. Netanyahu appeared to instruct her then-assistant to organise protests against political opponents and intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the lawsuit against her husband.
The report did not name Mrs. Netanyahu, and the Justice Ministry declined to comment further.
Uvda programme reporters obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide to the prime minister who died of cancer last year.
The messages show that Sara Netanyahu, through Bleiweiss, urged police to brutally crack down on anti-government demonstrators and ordered protests against her husband’s critics. She also demanded that Bleiweiss force activists in Netanyahu’s Likud party to publicly attack Klein.
Klein is an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, and has testified in a corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Netanyahu.
According to the report, Bleiweiss was also charged with organising demonstrations outside the homes of the chief prosecutor in the corruption case, Liat Ben-Ari, and then-Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit, who handed down the indictments, as well as protests and social media campaigns vilifying Netanyahu’s political opponents. Benjamin Netanyahu said:
“My opponents on the left and in the media have found a new old target. They are mercilessly attacking my wife, Sara.”
According to the report, Bleiweiss was a loyal aide to Netanyahu for decades. But when she fell ill, Sara Netanyahu mistreated her, prompting her to share confidential information with an investigative journalist shortly before her death.
Sara Netanyahu has been accused of mistreating personal staff before. This, and accusations of overspending and using public money for her extravagant personal tastes, gave her the image of someone out of touch with the daily lives of Israelis. In 2019, she was fined for misuse of public funds.
Official reaction
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police and has repeatedly said that Attorney General Baharav Miara should be fired over a series of claims against her, said the latest announcement was yet another reason to fire her. He said:
“Someone who politically persecutes government ministers and their families cannot continue to hold the position of attorney general.”
Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin also criticised the attorney general’s order, calling it highly selective law enforcement that has reared its ugly head once again.
Legal challenges
It is the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahu family, highlighted by the prime minister’s ongoing corruption trial.
Netanyahu is accused of fraud, breach of trust and taking bribes in a series of cases that allege he exchanged favours with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies all the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and media.
