Kfar Saba Mayor's Lawyer Suggests Businesspeople May Have Approached Mayor's Wife
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Saar's lawyer suggested businesspeople may have approached the mayor's wife, Meital Saar, with whom cash was found, though the mayor denies knowledge of any wrongdoing. The investigation, which went public Tuesday after a year and a half of covert surveillance, involves 85 suspected acts of obstruction. Investigators estimate the bribery, possibly starting in 2019, to be in the millions of shekels, with cash funding numerous purchases. The mayor and his wife expressed concern about being caught in wiretapped conversations.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Saar's lawyer suggested businesspeople may have approached his wife, Meital Saar.
- Cash was seized from Meital Saar, not from Mayor Rafi Saar, according to his lawyer.
- The investigation into suspected bribery, possibly starting in 2019, is estimated by police to be in the millions of shekels.
- Wiretaps captured conversations about money transfers and the couple expressing fear of being caught.
- The covert investigation began in May 2025 and involves 85 suspected acts of obstruction.
- Investigators found large amounts of cash, luxury items, and evidence of ongoing funding for purchases.
The lawyer for Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Saar, Micha Patman, stated that businesspeople may have approached the mayor's wife, Meital Saar, and spoken with her, though he himself is unaware if this occurred. Patman told Kan News that the path from such approaches to the mayor knowing about wrongdoing and acting on it is not simple. He rejected the idea that the mayor is shifting blame to his wife, asserting that Saar claims he is unaware of any contractors or others giving her money. Patman also noted that cash was seized from the mayor's wife, not from the mayor himself, and that the police reportedly confirmed in a discussion that they could not provide even one instance of payment. He added that the couple, married for about six years, manages their finances separately, and the wife had her own assets and money when they met.
Meital Saar's lawyer, Haya Zaken, declined to answer questions about the cash, its origins, or her client's involvement in municipal work, stating it was part of her role to avoid such details. Zaken mentioned her client knows people and has a business in business consulting and project management, but refused to specify the businesses. She described Meital Saar's arrest at her home with many police officers present as occurring in front of her daughters and that her client was in a very difficult emotional state.
The investigation, which began covertly in May 2025 and became public Tuesday, involves 85 suspected acts of obstruction, according to the police. The probe followed a year and a half of police wiretaps, with some recordings capturing conversations about money transfers and the mayor and his wife expressing concern about being caught. Cash packages were found not only at their homes but also in their vehicles and at the residences of associates. Investigators believe the cash flow was ongoing, not a one-time event, occurring throughout tender periods. The suspected bribery is estimated by investigators to be in the millions of shekels, with events possibly beginning in 2019, a year after Saar's election. The investigation also revealed that the couple funded numerous purchases, including foreign trips, jewelry, and clothing, with cash. Investigators found large amounts of cash packaged and organized during searches. The couple owns luxury items, including Prada, Rolex, and Cartier, and drives a Tesla and an Audi.
