Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Sara Netanyahu Faces Fresh Abuse Allegations from Former Residence Staff
Some people who used to work at the home of Israel's prime minister say his wife, Sara Netanyahu, was not kind to them.
They say she yelled at them, insulted them, and made them work very hard.
One former cook and cleaner, Yehiel Ohev-Ami, is asking a court for money because he says he was treated badly.
He says he had to wipe the family's shoes every day and was shouted at for small mistakes.
Another worker told a TV station that Sara and her son Yair were unkind and unfair to some staff.
The Netanyahu family says these stories are not true.
They say former workers are just trying to get money by making up bad stories about them.
In the past, some courts agreed with workers and gave them money, but one case was thrown out.
The new cases will be decided by labour courts in Israel in the coming months.
Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, faces new lawsuits and public accusations of abuse from former staff at the prime minister's residence.
Former cook and cleaner Yehiel Ohev-Ami, 61, filed suit seeking about 300,000 shekels (approximately $98,000) in damages, alleging verbal and physical abuse.
Another former staffer told Israel's Channel 12 that Sara Netanyahu and her son Yair subjected them to physical abuse, humiliating treatment, and racial bias, including 169 hours of overtime in a single month.
Netanyahu's office rejected the allegations as "another attempt to manufacture an extortion of money from the state by defaming the prime minister's wife."
Prior cases include a 2016 Jerusalem labour court award of about 170,000 shekels to former residence manager Meni Naftali, while a 2022 cleaning worker's case was rejected as not credible.
- Who
- Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former staff at the prime minister's residence, including Yehiel Ohev-Ami.
- What
- Fresh lawsuits and public accusations alleging abuse, mistreatment, and racial bias by Sara Netanyahu and her son Yair.
- When
- The new cases are expected to move through Israel's labour courts in the coming months; Ohev-Ami was let go roughly five months ago.
- Where
- Israel, at the prime minister's residence.
- Why
- Former employees allege verbal and physical abuse, excessive work demands, and humiliating treatment, while the Netanyahu family denies the claims as attempts to extort money.
Former Staff Accusers
Netanyahu Family and Office
Nature of Allegations
Former Staff Accusers
Former staff allege verbal and physical abuse, humiliating treatment, racial bias, and excessive work demands such as 169 hours of overtime in a single month.
Netanyahu Family and Office
Sara Netanyahu and her family deny the claims; the PM's office calls them attempts to extort money from the state by defaming the prime minister's wife, and Yair Netanyahu says they are fabricated or blackmail.
Credibility of Past Cases
Former Staff Accusers
Courts awarded compensation in 2016 and 2025 cases, supporting findings of abusive working conditions at the residence.
Netanyahu Family and Office
A 2022 case was rejected as not credible, and Sara Netanyahu says the lawsuits are copy-and-paste efforts targeting her specifically because of her position.
- Claimant
- Yehiel Ohev-Ami, 61, former cook and cleaner at the residence
- Damages sought
- About 300,000 shekels (approximately $98,000)
- Allegations
- Verbal and physical abuse, daily shoe-sole wiping, and screaming outbursts over minor errors
- Family response
- Netanyahu's office called the claims an attempt to extort money from the state by defaming the prime minister's wife
- Other accuser
- Former staffer 'Y' told Channel 12 of abuse, racial bias, and 169 hours of overtime in one month
- 2016 ruling
- Jerusalem labour court awarded former manager Meni Naftali about 170,000 shekels
- 2022 case
- Cleaning worker's allegations rejected by the Labour Court as not credible
- Sara Netanyahu's statement
- Described the lawsuits as copy-and-paste attempts she has "lived with... for thirty years"