Israeli PM’s Office Labels Sara Netanyahu as ‘First Lady’ Amid Photo Edits in Washington Meetings

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office officially presented Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israel’s "First Lady" during his recent meetings in Washington, despite the official First Lady title belonging to Michal Herzog, wife of President Isaac Herzog. This designation appeared in photos distributed by the Prime Minister’s Office from Netanyahu’s meetings with AIPAC leaders at the Blair House in Washington. The images were digitally retouched, a practice previously applied only to Sara Netanyahu’s photos but now extended to the Prime Minister’s own pictures as well.

The photo edits began during the memorial ceremony for Senator Lindsey Graham and continued through Netanyahu’s meetings with evangelical community leaders and AIPAC representatives. The retouched images credit both photographer Maayan Toaff from the Government Press Office and Sara Netanyahu herself for the graphic modifications.

During the Washington visit, Netanyahu and his wife met with evangelical leaders who expressed strong support for Israel and Netanyahu’s stance against the Iranian axis. Netanyahu thanked the evangelicals for their unwavering support, emphasizing the shared Jewish-Christian heritage and the need to defend it against rising antisemitism and hostility toward evangelicals. He urged them to stand firm and respond to attacks with resistance.

Netanyahu also met with several U.S. senators, including Tom Cotton, John Fetterman, and Tim Kaine. Kaine highlighted the importance of true friendship during difficult times, while Fetterman expressed pride in standing with Israel despite political disagreements within his own party, criticizing New York’s mayor for unfounded accusations against Israel.

These developments reflect the Netanyahu administration’s efforts to shape public perception and solidify alliances during a critical diplomatic visit to the United States.