Netanyahu Couple Deny Firing Adviser Yossi Bassad, Say He Resigned Voluntarily

The Prime Minister's Office issued an unusual statement on Friday on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu, strongly denying reports that adviser Yossi Bassad was fired at Sara Netanyahu's request. The statement called the allegations "an unprecedented campaign of lies" against the couple and said the reports that circulated last week in several media outlets were false. It emphasized that Bassad is a "close and valued adviser" who has worked with the Netanyahus for many years, describing him as a dedicated, loyal, and professional individual who acted with a sense of mission.

According to the statement, Bassad himself requested to end his role weeks ago for personal reasons unrelated to any incident. The Prime Minister and his wife expressed appreciation for his work and said they will maintain close contact with him after his departure. The statement also announced that Bassad plans to file a defamation lawsuit against those who spread the false claims about his dismissal.

The statement concluded with a firm message to the media outlets that published the reports, declaring "the era of spreading lies, defaming good people, and evading responsibility is over," and pledged to continue confronting what they called a "fake news industry" by upholding the truth.