Israeli attorney general orders probe into PM’s wife

JERUSALEM

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, from left, his wife Sara Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog, attend a ceremony marking the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7 2023 that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, Israel, Oct. 27, 2024.

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.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara made the announcement in a terse message late on Dec. 26, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu.

The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Sara Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial.

The announcement did not mention Sara Netanyahu by name and the Justice Ministry declined further comment.

But in a video, 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.

Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates.