Netanyahu's Wife Threatens Lawsuit Over Investigative Report

Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Prime Minister, has sent a legal warning to Channel 13 and investigative journalist Raviv Drucker, demanding they halt the broadcast of a report scheduled for that evening. In the letter, she characterized the report as "a false story that completely distorts reality" and threatened legal action, including a lawsuit for at least one million shekels, if it airs, alleging defamation.

The investigative report, titled "HaMakor" (The Source), reportedly focuses on the security arrangements and construction work overseen by the Prime Minister's Office's security division, headed by Alon Haliva. One segment highlighted in pre-broadcast materials concerns security work around former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's home in Ra'anana, which the report claims cost approximately 25 million shekels, with Haliva identified as the primary official responsible. However, the report itself notes a lack of evidence that Haliva intentionally inflated these costs.

Specific examples cited in the report include restroom facilities installed for security personnel at the Ra'anana home, allegedly costing around 103,000 shekels per month, despite being in place for a year. The report claims expenses for these units and generators totaled about six million shekels annually, representing a quarter of the total security budget for the house.

In her warning letter, Sara Netanyahu refuted any involvement in decisions regarding security and construction, including work on her own properties in Caesarea and a residence in Tel Aviv. She asserted that she never requested work that was not fully approved by professional authorities. Netanyahu also stated that security decisions are made by security officials based on threat assessments and operational needs, not personal preferences, and criticized the report's potential to expose security vulnerabilities and endanger lives.