PM’s ex-custodian says he’s getting death threats

The former caretaker at the Prime Minister’s Residence under Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife demanded police provide him with a security detail on Sunday, after he claims threats were made on his life.

Menny Naftali testified late last week on alleged financial improprieties committed by the Netanyahus at the official residence in the years he was in their employ.

Naftali’s lawyer submitted a letter to Police Chief Yohanan Danino asking for protective services following alleged threats against his client made on Facebook.

In the missive, the lawyer said his client told him he received several messages including one that threatened to “slaughter” him if he “doesn’t leave Bibi [Netanyahu] alone,” according to Channel 2.

“We will behead you like Daesh [the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State],” the alleged threat went on, according to the letter.

The attorney recounted another alleged incident in which Naftali was walking in a mall in Afula when a store owner approached him and spit in his face and tried to attack him, shouting that he’d better drop the allegations against Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, Naftali threatened to sue Netanyahu and several Likud members including Interior Minister Gilad Erdan and Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz for defamation if they do not apologize for remarks they made against him by Monday at noon. He has also demanded compensation of NIS 100,000, Israel Radio reported.

On Sunday, Danino said that Naftali’s testimony of abuse of funds at the Prime Minister’s Residence was solid enough to warrant further investigation.

Danino’s comments came as Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein was set to review the material submitted by Naftali and then make a decision on whether or not to order a full police investigation that could lead to Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, being summoned to give testimony.

“On face value, the matter of Naftali needs to be checked,” Danino said during a police ceremony in which two female officers were promoted to the rank of deputy commissioner, the Hebrew media Walla website reported.

“However, the attorney general should be allowed to review all of the material,” Danino noted.

Weinstein was to convene a meeting with senior officials from the state prosecution to consider the allegations against Netanyahu, as detailed in a report last week by State Comptroller Yosef Shapira and in testimony from the former caretaker of the prime minister’s official residence.

Naftali testified for a marathon 11 hours with the Israel Police overnight Thursday and into the early hours of Friday against Netanyahu after receiving limited immunity from prosecution.

Naftali provided recordings and documents detailing alleged financial abuse by the Netanyahus.

The timing of any such investigation could be politically significant, given that Israel holds general elections on March 17.

A spending report released by the state comptroller last Tuesday detailed lavish spending by Netanyahu and his wife at his official residence in Jerusalem as well as at their private home in Caesarea and alleged possible criminal misdeeds by the two.

Netanyahu’s Likud party has publicly blamed Naftali for much of the excessive spending, claiming it happened during his time as custodian from February 2011 until November 2012. Infuriated, Naftali, who was already involved in legal proceedings against the Netanyahus — in which he was suing for alleged abuse during his employment — returned to the police and offered further testimony.

The spending allegations initially did not seem likely to harm Netanyahu’s chances of winning reelection with polls showing that the affair had little impact on voters’ intentions. But the opening of a criminal investigation into the Netanyahus’ spending could prove more significant.