Israel graft case turns spotlight on Netanyahu family

Israeli police’s accusations this week against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu involving fancy cigars, champagne and jewelry have revived older stories of alleged misbehaviour by the premier and some family members.
The accusations were the most serious against Netanyahu during his long tenure in power, but they follow a series of stories about him and his family that have captured public attention.
To name a few, the family dog biting a lawmaker, allegations that the premier’s wife falsified housekeeping expenses and the broadcast of a recording of their eldest son drunk outside a strip club.
Netanyahu, who has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, says the attention paid to his family has been grossly unfair, and calls many of the stories obvious attempts to discredit him.
Tamar Hermann, an expert on public opinion at the Israel Democracy Institute think tank, said Netanyahu supporters would certainly agree.
But for others, she said, “it’s like having a neighbour whose domestic scene makes you look at it and say, ‘God forbid! I hope it won’t infect my home.’”
In recommending that Netanyahu be indicted, police said he and “members of his household” were given cigars, champagne and jewellery worth about one million shekels (229,000 euros, $283,000) by Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.
Netanyahu is alleged to have tried to help Milchan in return, including by promoting his business interests in Israel.
While the police document recommended that Netanyahu be charged with bribery, fraud and breach of public trust, it made no mention by name of his wife Sara or their son Yair, who also live in the heavily guarded official residence in central Jerusalem.
But dozens of reports since police first interrogated the prime minister in January 2017 state that Sara Netanyahu was aware of certain gifts, with some allegedly delivered at her request.
Haaretz daily referred to “an expensive piece of jewellery requested by Sara Netanyahu as a birthday gift” from Milchan, and said Packer gave Yair free air tickets and paid for hotel rooms.
Yair Netanyahu is one of Netanyahu’s three children from three marriages. He has a daughter, Noa, from first wife Miriam and a younger son, Avner, with Sara. In a separate case, Sara Netanyahu also faces a possible trial over alleged misuse of public funds, which she denies.
The allegations announced last year are that she and an aide falsely declared there were no cooks available at the prime minister’s official residence and they ordered from outside caterers at public expense.
The cost amounted to 359,000 shekels, the justice ministry said in a statement in September.