Man arrested for death threat to key witness in Netanyahu’s trial and her family
Holon resident questioned by police social media post about Milchan assistant Hadas Klein, who testified in prime minister’s ongoing corruption trial
A man was arrested overnight for allegedly posting a death threat on social media against a key witness in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, it was reported Sunday.
The resident of Holon was questioned and was set to appear at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court later in the day for a hearing on the potential extension of his custody.
The arrest came after witness Hadas Klein reportedly filed a complaint with police over threats made on Twitter.
“Hadas Klein, that daughter of a whore, with God’s help won’t see the light of day,” a tweet posted Friday by an account identifying as “israel” read. “She stole money for her own pocket and tried to blame the prime minister. It will cost her and her family in blood. They won’t be immune. We will hunt down everyone in her family and her first of all.”
Klein was a personal assistant to Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, and has become a key witness for the prosecution in Case 1000 against the premier, which revolves around luxury gifts Netanyahu and his family received from the moguls and benefits he is accused of having provided in return. The indictment against Netanyahu alleges that he assisted Milchan with US visa issues and regulatory and tax benefits relating to his business interests in Israel.
During her testimony last year, Klein described to the court how she was the conduit for a steady supply of premium cigars and champagne to the Netanyahus, goods she said were not volunteered by Milchan or Packer but rather were requested directly by the premier and his wife.
Milchan wrapped up his testimony at the trial on Thursday.
Klein has been the target of threats and harassment in the past. In December, she filed a defamation lawsuit against a staunchly pro-Netanyahu journalist, seeking NIS 5 million ($1.45 million) for what she termed a smear campaign against her during the course of her testimony.
In June 2022, she was threatened by a person identifying himself as Shimon Carmieli on Twitter, who posted threats and offensive messages against Klein for months that included statements such as: “With God’s help, soon Hadas Klein will die” and “I hope that Hadas Klein has a seizure in her black heart.”
Last month, Klein sent a letter through her lawyer to Netanyahu’s defense team, accusing them of threatening her in the courtroom.
During her months-long testimony, Klein detailed gifts to the Netanyahus from her employers, including premium cigars, bottles of champagne and a diamond-studded bracelet. The goods were provided between 2011 and 2016, according to the indictment.
In court proceedings, the defense has sought to downplay the size of the gifts and other parts of Klein’s testimony, which ended in September.
Klein also described how Milchan had managed to obtain a 10-year US visa in 2013, and how Netanyahu had set up a phone call between the businessman and then-US secretary of state John Kerry to help obtain it.
Netanyahu’s defense team sought to poke holes in Klein’s narrative by arguing that the former prime minister and his wife had a genuine friendship with Milchan, who gave them gifts out of friendship and not in order to receive favors. The defense also said the actual amount of champagne and cigars given to Netanyahu was less than Klein claimed.
Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
