Sara Netanyahu under criminal investigation over alleged witness tampering

Shafaq News/ Israeli police have launched a criminal investigation into Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over allegations of witness tampering related to the corruption case against her husband, the State Attorney’s Office confirmed on Sunday.

The investigation, which began on December 26, follows a report by Channel 12's Uvda program alleging that Sara Netanyahu sought to intimidate a key witness in the trial against the prime minister. The report claimed that she instructed her husband’s late aide, Hanni Bleiweiss, to organize protests and an online campaign against Hadas Klein, a key witness in one of the cases.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Aisman announced that they had ordered the investigation into possible charges of witness harassment and obstruction of justice.

The investigation is being carried out by the Israel Police and the cybercrimes department of the State Attorney’s Office.

Naama Lazimi, a Knesset member from the Democrats, confirmed the investigation on X, stating that it was crucial for parliamentary oversight and the justice system. “The prime minister’s wife is a convicted felon and, as we learned in the investigation, acted to harm prosecution officials and discredit a witness – very serious offenses for which she must be brought to justice,” Lazimi said in a statement.

Sara Netanyahu, who has denied any wrongdoing, was convicted in 2019 in a plea deal for misusing state funds amounting to $50,000 on catered meals despite having a full-time chef at the Prime Minister’s Residence.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to face charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of public trust in three separate cases. In December, he testified in court, calling the charges against him “ridiculous.”

The corruption trial, which has been delayed multiple times since it began in May 2020, is expected to last for months. Netanyahu has requested delays due to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. He is the first sitting prime minister in Israel’s history to face a criminal trial.

In one of the cases, Netanyahu and his wife are accused of accepting over $260,000 worth of luxury goods, including cigars, jewelry, and champagne, from billionaires in exchange for political favors. Netanyahu denies all allegations of wrongdoing.