Sara Netanyahu: The Ever-present Wife Of Israel's Prime Minister
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's third wife and the mother of two of his children, Sara Netanyahu has long made headlines, notably for her alleged involvement in the political decisions of her husband.
"My wife and I..." is a phrase often used by the Israeli premier in his official statements, helping to cement Sara's position at the forefront of public life.
This week, as the prime minister visited Washington for a series of high-level meetings in which he discussed a potential Gaza ceasefire deal with the US president, his wife was noticeably present.
On Tuesday, she was photographed sitting opposite Trump at an official dinner following a meeting between the two leaders.
Two days later, she appeared next to her husband, as well as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, as they arrived for meetings at the Pentagon.
But speculation had swirled even before the Netanyahus' departure for Washington.
On the eve of the trip, the prime minister's office announced the resignation of his spokesman Omer Dostri.
A few hours later, following media reports claiming that his wife had been involved in the decision, another statement was issued denying she had any role.
Sara Netanyahu has been the subject of several investigations, including for corruption, fraud and breach of trust, and has also been questioned in connection with her husband's ongoing graft trial.
Married to Benjamin Netanyahu since 1991, the 66-year-old is the target of frequent media attacks which are regularly denounced by her husband.
She has been caricatured in satirical programmes for her fashion choices or her profession as a child psychologist, which she has often appeared to boast about.
But above all, she has been targeted for her alleged interference in state affairs.
In a video released in December 2024, Netanyahu denied that his wife was involved in his cabinet appointments or that she was privy to state secrets.
It followed an investigation into Sara Netanyahu aired by Israel's Channnel 12 which the prime minister slammed as a "witch hunt".
In 2021, a former senior official said he had seen a contract signed by the Netanyahus stipulating that Sara had a say in the appointment of Israeli security chiefs.
To that claim, the prime minister's office responded with a brief statement denouncing "a complete lie". The official lost a libel suit brought against him by the Netanyahus' lawyer.
And when the prime minister appointed David Zini as the new head of Israel's Shin Bet security service in May, Israeli journalists once again pointed to the possible influence of Sara Netanyahu, who is thought to be close to Zini's entourage.
Almost two years since the start of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, Sara Netanyahu seems to have established herself as more indispensable than ever, with some even attributing her with increasing influence on strategic issues.
In May, when Sara Netanyahu corrected the number of living Gaza hostages given by her husband during a recorded meeting with the captives' families, speculation swirled that she had access to classified information.
Journalist and Netanyahu biographer Ben Caspit went as far as to describe Sara Netanyahu as the "real prime minister".
"It has become public knowledge. It is an integral part of our lives... we are normalising the fact that someone has dismantled the leadership of the state in favour of chaotic, family-based management," Caspit said in an opinion piece published on the website of the Maariv newspaper.
In an interview with US news outlet Fox News on Wednesday, Netanyahu described his wife as a "wonderful partner" and praised her help over the years. Sara Netanyahu accompanied her husband on an official visit to the Pentagon AFP
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DW
3 minutes ago
- DW
Gaza War: Will the world's wallet shift Israel's stance? – DW – 08/18/2025
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While Israel's media labeled Norway's move "deeply troubling" and "politically motivated," some analysts think Israeli officials are deliberately keeping a low profile for fear of emboldening the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which has campaigned against Israel for the past two decades. From its founding in 2005, BDS has achieved a series of symbolic and material wins by pressuring institutions, corporations, and governments to cut ties with Israeli entities involved in the occupation of the Palestinian Territories. The Palestinian-led movement is regularly accused of antisemitism by Israel and the US. The German Bundestag even passed a resolution on BDS — first in 2019 and reaffirming in 2024 — calling the movement "antisemitic" and banning it from receiving public funds. BDS gained new momentum after Israeli forces launched a military operation in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The movement led to major divestments from the likes of AXA and Scotiabank, while prompting the exits of Samsung Next — the South Korean tech giant's venture fund — and 7-Eleven from Israel. A BDS-organized consumer backlash also hit McDonald's and Pret, while several cities and universities in the United States also passed resolutions to cut ties with Israeli-linked firms, driven by BDS campaigns. Although Norway's divestment alone is expected to have a limited economic impact on Israel, economist Benjamin Bental from Israel's University of Haifa warned that it could set a dangerous precedent. "[Norway is sending] a signal about the activities of Israeli firms that it doesn't like, which others may follow," Bental told DW. "Once the dam is broken, if it becomes a flood, it will be of very significant importance." Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, held shares in 65 Israeli companies at the end of 2024, valued at around $1.95 billion (€1.67 billion). 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Int'l Business Times
15 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Tens Of Thousands Of Israelis Protest For End To Gaza War
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DW
a day ago
- DW
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