Yair Netanyahu Changes Name to Yonatan Hon Amid Identity and Security Moves

Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has officially changed his name to Yonatan Hon over the past year and a half, according to a report by journalist Uri Misgav in Haaretz. The name change is irreversible for seven years under Israeli law. Tax Authority documents reveal that while his tax deduction certificates were issued under his original name Yair Netanyahu as recently as December 2024, this year they have been issued under his new name Yonatan Hon, using the same ID number and a non-existent address "Balfour 0."

Yair had previously used the surname Hon on social media, adopting the nickname "Yair Hon." The surname Hon originates from the original family name of Sara Netanyahu's father, Shmuel, before it was Hebraized to Ben-Artzi. This follows a pattern within the Netanyahu family: Yair’s brother Avner Netanyahu changed his name to Avi Segal about five years ago and purchased a property in Oxford, England, under that name for £502,000. Segal was the original surname of their grandmother, Tzila, before she married Benzion Netanyahu. Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself changed his name to Ben Nitai during his stay in the United States in the 1980s for ease of pronunciation and plans to settle there.

Yair Netanyahu is registered as self-employed in advertising with the Tax Authority and National Insurance Institute. While living in Florida, he also registered a company in Connecticut for giving lectures. Recently, he posted new photos on social media showing clear signs of cosmetic facial procedures performed within the last year. After the revelation of Avner’s property purchase in Oxford, Avner explained that the name changes were for security reasons to maintain anonymity while living abroad for studies.

The Prime Minister’s office has recently briefed journalists against Sara and Yair Netanyahu following Yair’s failed appointment attempt, as reported by the Yesh Atid party.