Ex-Sderot mayor robbed amid Sara Netanyahu phone rant scandal

The home and car of former Sderot mayor Eli Moyal were broken into early Sunday morning, arousing suspicions that his recordings of an angry tirade by the prime minister’s wife were the target of the burglary.

During an interview with Israel Army Radio later in the day, Moyal said the burglars’ unusual behavior led him to believe that the reason or the break-in was the conversation his wife secretly recorded of Sara Netanyahu fiercely attacking her for Moyal’s criticism of her husband last August.

Moyal said that the thieves only targeted his bedroom and took his cellphone, but did not touch anything else in his home, including a large amount of cash. Other small items were taken, but nothing of value, he said.

Sara Netanyahu’s call to Moyal’s wife, Monique Ben Melech, took place after Moyal, who was Sderot mayor until 2007, criticized what he saw as the government’s ineffective defense of southern communities during Operation Protective Edge last summer.

A transcript of the nearly half-hour conversation was published in full by reporter Ben Caspit in Maariv in early March, just two weeks ahead of this Tuesday’s Knesset elections.

In the call, Mrs. Netanyahu fiercely defends her husband and lambastes his critics. “[Netanyahu] acts with exceptional political savvy, reads heaps of books, understands economics, understands security, has academic degrees, is knowledgeable in literature, knows how to speak to world leaders,” Sara Netanyahu reportedly told the former mayor’s wife.

“Where is your man? He doesn’t even come close to being my man! What — has Eli Moyal ever once spoken with a world leader? He isn’t even on the Likud ballot!” she said.

“Who is this Eli Moyal of yours, did he ever do anything? He will never be Bibi,” she continued, using her husband’s nickname. “Your man doesn’t reach my man’s ankles. What made him say those things? Pure jealousy,” Mrs. Netanyahu contended.

Moyal said the recordings were safely stashed away with his wife, who was not in Sderot at the time of the break-in.

Following a February interview during which Moyal said he would not be voting Likud in the upcoming elections, the former mayor received a letter from Likud party director general Gadi Arieli, telling him he was officially ousted from the party.

But several hours after the letter was sent, it was retracted, drawing widespread speculation that party officials feared the phone call recording may be made public.

“I love my party, but do not see the leader of the party as someone who can continue to lead this country,” Moyal said Sunday, reiterating his criticism of Netanyahu.

Moyal said he has not left the Likud party and intends to cast a blank ballot on election day Tuesday.

Sara Netanyahu has made a series of headlines lately, including over accusations of abuse of public funds at the Netanyahus’ residences — allegations that are to be investigated after the March 17 elections.

Justin Jalil and Daniel Bernstein contributed to this report.