Sara Netanyahu is a diplomatic asset, PM gushes

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday praised his wife Sara as a key diplomatic asset for Israel as she celebrated her 60th birthday.

Speaking at a party for family and friends in Tiberias, the prime minister said Sara Netanyahu’s “strengths” were recognized by the world leaders they meet, who he described as being “very, very smart people.”

“She is helping our state. She is opening doors. They admire [her] and they are very smart, very, very smart,” the premier gushed.

“You just need to see this. We saw this now in Oman, in Moscow at the Kremlin, you see this in every place, in Washington,” he continued.

“Sara is opening doors for the State of Israel. Leaders have incredible admiration for her… they tell me this.”

Sara Netanyahu is often seen at the prime minister’s side during trips abroad and is regularly photographed with him hosting world leaders visiting Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara aboard the USS Ross, an American guided missile destroyer, docked at the Port of Ashdod on October 11, 2018. (Marc Israel Sellem/Pool/Flash90)

In his speech, Netanyahu also praised his wife for putting up with “daily slander” against her in the media.

Sara Netanyahu has been the subject of numerous reports in recent years portraying her as having a short temper with employees at the Prime Minister’s Residence and being highly sensitive to critical media coverage.

She is currently on trial for allegedly misusing state funds for personal use and is being investigated in a corruption case involving the prime minister. She has denied wrongdoing.