Sara Netanyahu is the third wife of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. She is trained as an educational and career psychologist and is the mother of two grown-up sons.

However, she is often in the news not for her profession but for several controversies and legal disputes over the years.

Why Has Sara Netanyahu Been in the News?

Sara Netanyahu has been in the headlines many times because of alleged scandals and court cases. One of the earliest major controversies happened in 2008. A report by Channel 10 claimed that during the 2006 Lebanon War, when Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to London for a public diplomacy campaign, Sara spent a large amount of money on luxury items. The expenses were reportedly paid by a donor in London. Sara Netanyahu filed a libel case against the channel to defend her husband's political reputation and later won the case.

What Court Cases Has She Faced?

In 2010, another controversy emerged when a housekeeper accused Sara Netanyahu of withholding wages, forcing unfair working conditions and verbally abusing her. Later, in March 2014, another house employee and a security guard also filed complaints against her for alleged abuse. In 2016, the Jerusalem Labor Court ruled in favour of former caretaker Meni Naftali. The court ordered Sara Netanyahu to pay compensation of 170,000 Israeli shekels for creating a hostile work environment.

Was She Accused of Misusing Public Money?

In 2015, Sara Netanyahu faced allegations that she ordered catered meals and asked the government to pay nearly USD 100,000 for them, even though the Prime Minister's residence already had a cook. The case ended with a plea deal. On 16 June 2019, she was convicted of misusing state funds and ordered to repay 55,000 shekels (about USD 15,275) to the state.

What Is the Latest Controversy About Edited Photos?

Sara Netanyahu was also accused of interfering with witnesses during corruption trials linked to her husband in 2014. More recently, she faced criticism for releasing manipulated images during the Hanukkah celebrations. One of the images showed Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador, along with Israeli soldiers. Critics said the pictures altered reality and raised concerns about official records and ethical standards. Following the controversy, the Israeli government began clearly crediting Sara Netanyahu when edited images appear in official releases.