Yoni Netanyahu’s Partner Breaks Silence on Family Rift and Exclusion After His Death

Bruria Shaked-Okon, longtime partner of the late Yoni Netanyahu who died in the 1976 Entebbe raid, spoke openly for the first time in nearly 50 years about her strained relationship with the Netanyahu family. In an interview with Guy Peleg aired on July 31, 2026, she revealed how she was pushed out of the mourning period (shiva) by the family, who told her to find another place to sit due to overcrowding. She described feeling deeply hurt and humiliated by their treatment despite her close relationship with Yoni, who had planned to marry her and had written her a final letter before the mission.

Shaked-Okon recounted that Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoni’s brother and then-prime minister, visited her shortly after Yoni’s death and asked if she was pregnant. She said she did not know and would inform him when she found out. She also shared that she was excluded from key family events, including the commemorations of the Entebbe operation, and was not invited to official ceremonies or the 50th anniversary event. When she confronted Yoni’s brother, Edo Netanyahu, about the coldness, he told her there was "no chemistry" between them, implying she was seen as unworthy due to her modest background.

She explained that she accepted the family’s decisions at the time out of respect for Yoni but only began addressing the emotional wounds about 20 years ago. She also revealed that she was pressured to give up half of Yoni’s apartment to be recognized as a fallen soldier’s widow, a compromise she reluctantly accepted. Despite her pain, she said she wanted to maintain dignity and keep her silence for many years, but now she feels compelled to share her story.

The interview sheds light on the personal and painful aftermath of Yoni Netanyahu’s death within his family circle, highlighting unresolved tensions and feelings of exclusion experienced by his partner. It also reveals a rare glimpse into the Netanyahu family dynamics and the challenges faced by those close to the late Israeli hero.