Sara Netanyahu: My children and I are ‘battered’

Sara Netanyahu claims she experienced “sexual violence” from critics of the premier and demonstrators, while branding herself and her children as “battered.”

In a rare interview with Channel 12, the prime minister’s wife claims, “I am a battered woman and my children are battered,” referring to the growing protest movement calling for the resignation of Israel’s longest-serving leader, who is currently on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

“I certainly feel that I have experienced sexual violence,” she says. “Apart from the terrible march of the balloons [shaped like male sex organs] and the [social media] post to rape me, which used explicit and crass language.”

She is asked during the interview about some of her eldest son Yair’s comments about women, including suggesting that Channel 12 news anchor Dana Weiss obtained her position through sexual favors. Yair Netanyahu later apologized after Weiss threatened to sue him for defamation.

“I was against this, I was in favor of him apologizing,” Sara Netanyahu says. “Dana Weiss doesn’t behave like a journalist but rather a one-sided political figure… Dana Weiss harms me every day. Her strikes on me are a million times worse than what my child did.”