Sara Netanyahu's Unusual Political Intervention Amid Election Probe

Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, participated actively in a meeting with representatives of right-wing parties, including Likud, Religious Zionism, and Shas, at the Prime Minister's Office. During the session, she expressed strong views, urging party leaders to coordinate their response to election results, stating, "They are robbing the country. They are stealing the elections from us. Foreign countries have infiltrated and are stealing our sovereignty. This is serious and cannot be ignored." Her prominent involvement in such a political gathering was described as unusual, as she typically accompanies her husband to public events but does not usually take such an active role in meetings with party leaders.

The meeting occurred against the backdrop of an investigation into alleged foreign interference in Israeli elections. The Shin Bet security agency sought to question parliamentary aides as part of an inquiry into suspicions against a Member of Knesset from the Joint List. However, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara informed the Shin Bet that investigating parliamentary aides in connection with foreign influence allegations requires her specific approval. She clarified that since the investigation concerns suspicions against a Knesset member, the questioning of their aides is considered part of the same inquiry, thus subject to parliamentary immunity and procedural requirements.

The Likud party has accused the Attorney General of obstructing the investigation by imposing delaying conditions. The party has requested an urgent discussion on the matter from the Central Elections Committee. The Attorney General stated that the Shin Bet must first establish the suspicions against the Knesset member before she will consider approving their summons for questioning, along with their aides.

Reports suggest a Knesset member from the Joint List received hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash, though concrete evidence of its use on election day or its Qatari origin is currently lacking. This is not the first time Sara Netanyahu has publicly supported her husband in political battles; she recently urged Likud activists to frame political opponents negatively. Meanwhile, the left-wing bloc is reportedly attempting to persuade ultra-Orthodox parties to join an alternative government, with Gadi Eisenkot exploring the possibility of leading a minority government. Prime Minister Netanyahu recently sent a message of support to Arie Deri, Chairman of Shas, emphasizing their partnership and Deri's contribution to Israel's security, in response to perceived attempts by the left to entice Haredi parties.