Israeli Writer Details Work on Film Project About Sara Netanyahu's Father

Israeli poet and writer Oded Carmeli has revealed details of his involvement in a documentary film project about Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, between 2012 and 2017. Carmeli described meetings with Sara Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's residence and efforts to produce a film about her father, Shmuel Ben-Artzi, despite reservations about the subject's suitability for a documentary.

In an article published in the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, Carmeli stated he agreed to work on the project at age 27, when he was a struggling poet needing paid writing work. The project began in December 2012, with Carmeli tasked to rephrase a proposal for a documentary series about three teachers, including Ben-Artzi. The project was presented as a three-part series, but Carmeli claims the true aim was to give Ben-Artzi a documentary spotlight similar to one made about Prime Minister Netanyahu's father, Ben-Zion Netanyahu.

Carmeli received 6,000 shekels for initial research before traveling to Jerusalem on January 31, 2013, for an interview with Sara Netanyahu. He recounted that the first meeting, held at the Prime Minister's residence, included political discussions about government formation and coalitions, with Natan Eshel acting as an intermediary. Carmeli reported Sara Netanyahu expressing frustration over perceived lack of appreciation for her and her husband's contributions, and allegedly stating that if Israelis continued to vote for non-Likud parties, "there simply would be no elections." Discussions also reportedly touched upon political figures like Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked, and former President Shimon Peres. Carmeli also claimed Sara Netanyahu agreed to the appointment of Shaul Mofaz as Minister of Defense during a conversation with Eshel, though this did not materialize.

Carmeli described a tense atmosphere during the meeting, alleging Sara Netanyahu shouted at an assistant and threw a pen after the assistant struggled to operate a disc containing material about her father. A second meeting in October 2014 reportedly covered topics like cinema ticket prices and films about Palestinians, with Sara Netanyahu suggesting that the high cost of tickets was linked to the proliferation of films critical of Israel in Europe.

Carmeli later received 10,000 shekels for a detailed treatment of the project, which continued for years with attempts to secure broadcast partners. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation initially did not adopt the project, with a documentary department official questioning Ben-Artzi's inclusion. The project later moved to Reshet network, which reportedly paid about half a million shekels for production and broadcast rights in 2016, according to Carmeli citing a report by journalist Raz Shechnik. Carmeli participated in later stages, including an interview in 2017, but the film was ultimately never aired.

Carmeli explained he decided to publish his account after years of silence, having previously refrained due to fears of lawsuits and pressure. Now 41, he stated his goal is not to influence elections but to reveal his personal experience and what he witnessed. He wanted to speak out while Benjamin Netanyahu is still Prime Minister and his wife remains a public figure.