Channel 12 Knew of Iranian Threat to Netanyahu’s Child but Criticized Family’s Security Demands

Channel 12 was aware for months that Iran attempted to target one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s children, but censorship prevented public disclosure. Despite this, the channel portrayed the Netanyahu family’s security requests as excessive and paranoid.

Yesterday, Netanyahu revealed the assassination attempt during an interview with Channel 14’s Noam Amir, describing it as a traumatic event. Channel 12 journalists, including Yaron Avraham and Dana Weiss, acknowledged knowing the information but were barred from publishing it due to censorship rules.

In recent weeks, Channel 12 ran a campaign framing Sara Netanyahu’s insistence on security as pressure and paranoia, even though the threat was real and known internally. The channel depicted her concerns as unfounded whims, ignoring the genuine danger to the family.

This coverage sparked criticism for its moral and ethical implications, as the channel used sensitive security information against the Netanyahu family while withholding the full context from the public. The government’s security committee has approved lifetime protection for Netanyahu and his wife, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.

The episode highlights a stark contrast between what Channel 12 knew and how it chose to present the Netanyahu family’s security needs to the public, raising questions about media responsibility and censorship in Israel.