CNN: Witness harassment allegations lead to legal scrutiny of Israeli PM's wife

Israel's Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, has instructed authorities to investigate Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after allegations surfaced that she had harassed witnesses in her husband's ongoing criminal trial.

In a statement released on December 26, the Attorney General called for an investigation into suspected witness harassment and obstruction of justice, following a report on Israel's Channel 12 Uvda show, Caliber.Az reports citing CNN.

The program, aired last week, claimed that Sara Netanyahu had intimidated a witness involved in her husband's corruption case.

The report also accused her of indirectly harassing the Attorney General and the Deputy State Attorney. CNN has reached out to the Prime Minister's office for a comment on the matter.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, came to his wife’s defence hours before the investigation order was made. In a video speech, he denounced the Channel 12 report as "biased" and "false propaganda." He also expressed frustration, saying, "I would like to see Channel 12 or other incitement channels investigate the left-wing camp, but don’t count on it. It simply won’t happen."

Justice Minister Yariv Levin criticized the Attorney General’s decision, calling it an example of “extreme selective enforcement.” In a post on social media, Levin argued that while Israel's citizens expect investigations into more serious matters, the Attorney General’s office seemed preoccupied with "gossip on television."

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, also weighed in, accusing the Attorney General of politically persecuting government ministers and their families. He called for her removal, stating, "It is a shame that some refuse to understand this."

Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, which began in January 2020, has made him the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to face charges in court. He has repeatedly denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.

Netanyahu faces charges in three cases. In Case 1000, he is accused of accepting expensive gifts like cigars and champagne from foreign businessmen. In Case 2000, he allegedly sought favourable media coverage in exchange for limiting the circulation of a rival newspaper.

The most serious charge, Case 4000, involves accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust related to regulatory benefits allegedly given to his friend Shaul Elovitch, a former shareholder of the telecommunications company Bezeq, worth over $250 million.

By Tamilla Hasanova