Yair Netanyahu Demands Criminal Probe Into Haaretz Journalist Over Alleged Security Risks

Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has formally requested a criminal investigation against Haaretz journalist Uri Misgav. In a complaint submitted to the Israeli Police Commissioner and the head of the Shin Bet security service, Yair Netanyahu accuses Misgav of repeatedly publishing detailed real-time information about his whereabouts, including his exact address in Miami and flight details for himself and his mother, Sara Netanyahu. He claims these disclosures have provided "open intelligence" that could be exploited by hostile entities, thereby endangering the lives of his family.

The complaint emphasizes that the publications were not isolated incidents but a continuous pattern over several years. It alleges that Misgav's reports included precise locations where Yair Netanyahu was present, sometimes published as events unfolded. The complaint also highlights that the journalist revealed the specific building, apartment number, and floor of Netanyahu's Miami residence, as well as advance information on flight schedules, airlines, flight numbers, and seat numbers for Yair and Sara Netanyahu.

Yair Netanyahu links these disclosures to serious security concerns, referencing a recent revelation by Prime Minister Netanyahu that Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons. According to reports from the United States, Yair Netanyahu was the target of this Iranian threat and was urgently evacuated from Miami after intelligence indicated Iranian operatives were tracking his movements.

In his complaint, Yair Netanyahu criticizes Israeli law enforcement and security agencies for what he describes as "inaction" or "lack of response" to these security risks. He contrasts this with how he believes similar surveillance or reporting on other public figures or their families would have prompted swift action. The complaint names several prominent Israeli figures, suggesting that the authorities would have acted decisively if they were similarly targeted.

This development adds to ongoing tensions between the Netanyahu family and media outlets, with Yair Netanyahu accusing the journalist of obsessive spying and endangering his family’s safety. The police and Shin Bet have yet to announce any formal response to the complaint.