Netanyahu’s wife investigated for harassment
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife is under suspicion for harassing political opponents and a witness in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial.
Israel’s Attorney-General has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial.
Gali Baharav-Miara made the announcement in a terse message late on Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent TV investigative program into Sara Netanyahu.
The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organise protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial.
The announcement did not mention Mrs Netanyahu by name, and the justice ministry declined further comment.
But in a video released earlier, Mr Netanyahu listed what he said were the many kind and charitable acts by his wife and blasted the Uvda report as “lies.”
“My opponents on the left and in the media found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife, Sara,” he said. He called the program “false propaganda, nasty propaganda that brings up lies from the darkness”.
It was the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus, highlighted by the Prime Minister’s ongoing corruption trial. The pair have also had a rocky relationship with the Israeli media.
Mr Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favours with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch-hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media.
The report obtained correspondence between Mrs Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide to the Prime Minister who died of cancer last year. The messages indicated that Mrs Netanyahu, through Bleiweiss, encouraged police to crack down violently on anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organise protests against her husband’s critics. She also told Bleiweiss to get activists in Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party to publish attacks on Mr Klein.
Mr Klein is an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and has testified in the corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Mr Netanyahu for her boss.
According to the report, Bleiweiss also was instructed to organise demonstrations outside the homes of the lead prosecutor in the corruption case, Liat Ben-Ari, and then attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit, who had issued the indictments, and protests and social media campaigns smearing political opponents.
According to the report, Bleiweiss was a loyal aid to Mr Netanyahu for decades. But while she was ill, it said Mrs Netanyahu mistreated her, prompting her to share the messages with a reporter shortly before her death.
Mrs Netanyahu has been accused of abusive behaviour toward her personal staff before. This, together with accusations of excessive spending and using public money for her own extravagant personal tastes, has earned her an image as being out of touch with everyday Israelis. In 2019, she was fined for misusing state funds.
Associated Press
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