High-profile case9/26/2026

The Netanyahu Family: Influence, Security Costing Millions, and Legal Disputes

Sara, Yair, and Avner Netanyahu do not hold elected office, but the article describes reports of their unofficial influence, state spending on security and private residences, and legal proceedings involving the family. Some of the claims were confirmed in court rulings and official reports, while reports of influence over appointments remain disputed.

Key facts

•Publication date: September 26, 2026
•Family security from 2018 to 2023: approximately 32.3 million shekels
•Protection of the residences: approximately 27.8 million shekels
•Sara Netanyahu’s sentence: Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, June 2019
•Yair Netanyahu’s case: LCA 6730/22
•Petition concerning security abroad: HCJ 5595/24

Unofficial Influence Without Formal Authority

Basic Law: The Government grants powers to the government, ministers, and the prime minister—not to their family members. Nevertheless, former adviser Nir Hefetz testified about Sara Netanyahu’s influence over appointments in the prime minister’s inner circle and Yair Netanyahu’s influence over public diplomacy efforts. The Prime Minister’s Office denied several reports of this kind, and the claim that a secret agreement purportedly gave Sara the right to approve appointments was not proven in court.

Security and Maintenance of the Residences

According to data from the Prime Minister’s Office, security for Sara, Yair, and Avner cost the state a total of approximately 32.3 million shekels between 2018 and 2023. The State Comptroller reported that from January 2019 through November 2023, security and protective work at the homes on Gaza Street in Jerusalem and in Caesarea cost approximately 27.8 million shekels. In July 2026, according to the article, the Ministerial Committee on Shin Bet Affairs decided to provide Sara with security for as long as her husband is alive, and the sons with security for an additional five years after the end of his term in office—that is, through the end of 2031.

The Criminal Proceeding Against Sara Netanyahu

In June 2019, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court approved a plea agreement and convicted Sara Netanyahu of obtaining something by intentionally exploiting another person’s mistake. The case concerned orders of prepared meals for the prime minister’s residence; the final agreement covered meals worth 175,000 shekels. Under the terms of the agreement, she was required to pay 55,000 shekels: 45,000 as restitution to the state treasury and 10,000 shekels as a fine.

Defamation and Privacy Protection Lawsuits

By February 2025, the total amount Yair Netanyahu had been ordered to pay in cases involving defamation and invasion of privacy stood at approximately 750,000 shekels. These included an award of 250,000 shekels to Avi Alkalay, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, and a Magistrate’s Court judgment ordering him to pay Dana Kashdi 130,000 shekels. In another case, the court ordered Ehud Olmert to pay Benjamin, Sara, and Yair Netanyahu 62,500 shekels, plus legal costs, over a statement about their mental condition.

What this means for you

The article presents the distinction between formal governmental powers and the possible unofficial influence of an officeholder’s relatives. For Israeli residents, the practical significance concerns transparency in budgetary expenditures, the ability to challenge security decisions, and liability for publications that a court determines constitute defamation or invasion of privacy. However, media reports and witness testimony are not in themselves equivalent to facts established in court.

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Case analysis based on court rulings