The wife of Israel's prime minister is set to be investigated by Israeli police over allegedly obstructing justice.
Sara Netanyahu, wife of Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the ICC in connection to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel in Gaza, will be probed for harassing a witness and disrupting the course of justice – according to The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.
This came after an investigative report aired on Israel's Channel 12 revealing that Sara Netanyahu had been involved in organising protests against Liat Ben-Ari, the prosecutor in her husband's ongoing criminal trial for corruption in Israel and against one of the key witnesses, Hadas Klein.
Following the report, Klein was among the many who filed police complaints against Sara.
The report suggested that Sara ordered her husband's late aide to orchestrate protests and an online campaign against the witness.
Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the report, branding it "biased" and "false propaganda".
"I would like to see Channel 12 or the other incitement channels conduct an investigation about the left-wing camp. But don't count on it. It simply won't happen," the Israeli prime minister said in a video speech defending his wife.
Israeli Attorney General Amit Aisman and the government's legal adviser, Gali Baharav-Miara, confirmed that the police were instructed to proceed with the investigation against Sara after the broadcast.
Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust allegations, and legal proceedings will begin in 2025.
He faces charges in three separate cases. The first case alleges he committed fraud and breach of trust in by receiving gifts from overseas businessmen.
He is also charged in a second fraud and breach of trust case, which alleges he sought favourable coverage in a top Israeli newspaper in exchange for limiting the circulation of one of their rivals.
The third case, described as the most serious one, charges Netanyahu with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust for using his influence to provide benefits worth over $250 million to his friend Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of the telecommunications company Bezeq.
Netanyahu began testifying in December 2023 and appeared in court for the sixth time on Tuesday to respond to the charges.
The prime minister denied the accusations, saying the case was part of a political campaign to remove him from office.
The Channel 12 report also revealed his wife had orchestrated a protest outside the home of a neighbouring family whose fighter pilot son had been killed in combat after it let anti-government protesters use their home for a rally.
The report claims that Netanyahu supported police officers who used violence against anti-government protesters.