Israel’s attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara has directed police to investigate Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged harassment of political opponents and a key witness in the prime minister’s ongoing corruption trial.
The directive, announced late Thursday, follows revelations by the “Uvda” investigative program that Sara Netanyahu purportedly orchestrated targeted actions against critics and a witness.
WhatsApp messages spur investigation
The probe is rooted in a report by “Uvda,” which unearthed WhatsApp messages allegedly showing Sara Netanyahu instructing Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide, to organize protests against political rivals and intimidate Hadas Klein, a pivotal witness in the corruption trial. Klein, an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, testified about delivering expensive gifts—including champagne and cigars—to the Netanyahus on Milchan’s behalf.
The messages reportedly also directed Bleiweiss to mobilize 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. Additionally, the report accused Sara Netanyahu of instructing Bleiweiss to incite Likud party activists to launch social media campaigns attacking Klein and other critics.
Bleiweiss, a long-time loyal aide to the Netanyahus, shared the incriminating messages with a journalist shortly before her death from cancer last year. The report also alleges mistreatment of Bleiweiss by Sara Netanyahu during her illness.
Netanyahu dismisses allegations
Prime Minister Netanyahu strongly defended his wife in a video released earlier Thursday, dismissing the report as “false propaganda” and accusing his political and media opponents of targeting her unfairly. “My opponents on the left and in the media found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife, Sara,” Netanyahu said, listing her charitable acts and denouncing the “Uvda” investigation as a “nasty” smear campaign.
This investigation marks yet another chapter in the legal controversies surrounding the Netanyahu family. Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently on trial for fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes in cases alleging that he exchanged political favors with wealthy associates and media moguls.
Sara Netanyahu herself has faced legal challenges in the past, including a 2019 fine for misusing state funds.