Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to investigate Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuHis wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in the corruption trial of the Israeli leader.
Israel’s Justice Ministry made the announcement in a brief statement late Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the Uvda investigative program on Sara Netanyahu.
The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Ms. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former adviser to organize protests against political opponents and intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial.
The announcement did not mention Ms. Netanyahu by name and the Justice Ministry declined further comment.
But in a video released Thursday, Netanyahu listed his wife’s many acts of kindness and charity and called the Uvda report “lies.”
“My opponents on the left and in the media have found a new, old target. They attack my wife Sara mercilessly,” he said. He called the program “false propaganda, evil propaganda that produces lies from the darkness.”
It was the latest in a long line of legal problems for the Netanyahus – highlighted by the The ongoing corruption trial against the Prime Minister. The couple also had a difficult relationship with the Israeli media.
Netanyahu is accused of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a number of cases exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy partners. Netanyahu denies the allegations and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and media.
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The report obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former adviser to the prime minister who died of cancer last year. The news revealed that Sara Netanyahu encouraged the police to use force against her Anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organize protests against her husband’s critics. She also called on Bleiweiss to get activists from Netanyahu’s Likud party to publicize attacks on Klein.
Klein is an associate of billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and has testified in the corruption case about her role in supplying Netanyahu with tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts for her boss.
According to the report, Sara Netanyahu mistreated Bleiweiss, which led her to share the messages with a reporter shortly before her death.
Sara Netanyahu has previously been accused of abusive behavior towards her personal staff. This, along with allegations of excessive spending and use of public funds Because of her own flamboyant personal tastes, she has earned a reputation for being out of touch with everyday Israelis. In 2019 she was fined for misuse of state funds.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police force and has repeatedly said Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara should be fired over a series of complaints against her, said the latest announcement was another reason for her dismissal.
“Someone who politically persecutes government ministers and their families cannot continue to serve as attorney general,” he said.
And Justice Minister Yariv Levin, another Netanyahu ally and critic of Baharav Miara, accused her of focusing on “television gossip.”
“Selective enforcement is a crime!” he said in a statement.
