Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife Sara in hot water: WhatsApp messages spark witness harassment investigation

Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, on Thursday, December 26 ordered a probe into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu after a report alleged that she had harassed political opponents. The probe comes after Channel 12's ‘Uvda’ program unravelled WhatsApp messages which show Sara Netanyahu asking a former aide to organise protests against opponents.

As per the WhatsApp messages revealed, Sara Netanyahu instructed Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide, to organise protests against, and intimidate Hadas Klein. Klein serves as a pivotal witness in the ongoing corruption trial against Benjamin Netanyahu. The report also alleges mistreatment of Bleiweiss by Sara Netanyahu during her illness.

The messages came to light after Bleiweiss, a long-time loyal aide to the Netanyahus, shared the messages with a journalist before she passed away due to cancer in 2023.

What the WhatsApp messages revealed about Sara Netanyahu's instructions

Hadas Klein, an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, also testified about delivering expensive gifts—including champagne and cigars—to the Netanyahus on Milchan’s behalf.

Sara Netanyahu had also directed Hanni Bleiweiss to organise protests outside the homes of Liat Ben-Ari, the lead prosecutor in the corruption trial, and Avichai Mandelblit, the former attorney general who issued the indictments.

Netanyahu dismisses Channel 12's allegations

Hours before Israel's Attorney General ordered the probe, Benjamin Netanyahu defended his wife in a video speech released by his office on Thursday where he described the Channel 12 report as “biased” and “false propaganda.”

“I would like to see Channel 12 or the other incitement channels conduct an investigation about the left-wing camp. But don’t count on it. It simply won’t happen," said Benjamin Netanyahu, reported CNN.

Yariv Levin, Israel's Justice Minister, criticised the attorney general’s order, describing it as “extreme selective enforcement has reared its ugly head once again,” stated a report by CNN.