Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Ruth Bar Revisits Affair That Shook Netanyahu’s Early Rise
In 1993, Benjamin Netanyahu was trying to become the leader of Israel’s Likud party.
Someone reportedly told his wife that Netanyahu was having an affair with Ruth Bar, his campaign adviser.
The caller allegedly threatened to release a tape unless Netanyahu quit the leadership race.
Netanyahu did not quit.
Instead, he admitted the affair on live television.
He also accused David Levy, a rival politician, of trying to blackmail him.
The alleged tape was never released and may not have existed.
Despite the scandal, Netanyahu won the party leadership contest.
Ruth Bar later returned to private life and worked as a psychologist and consultant.
Ruth Bar has spoken publicly about her 1993 affair with Benjamin Netanyahu.
On January 14, 1993, Netanyahu admitted the extramarital relationship on Israel’s Channel 1.
The revelation came during Netanyahu’s campaign to lead Likud after the party’s 1992 election defeat.
Netanyahu accused senior Likud politician David Levy of trying to blackmail him over an alleged tape.
The tape never surfaced, and Netanyahu went on to win the Likud leadership contest.
- Who
- Ruth Bar and Benjamin Netanyahu were at the center of the scandal; David Levy was accused by Netanyahu of attempting to blackmail him.
- What
- Netanyahu publicly admitted having an extramarital affair with Bar during his campaign to lead Likud.
- When
- January 14, 1993.
- Where
- Israel’s Channel 1 television studio.
- Why
- A reported threat to expose evidence of the affair brought Netanyahu’s private life into the Likud leadership contest.
Netanyahu’s Account
Alternative Account
Alleged blackmail
Netanyahu’s Account
Netanyahu accused David Levy, whom he described as a senior Likud politician, of trying to blackmail him and referred to a surrounding “gang of criminals.”
Alternative Account
The alleged tape was never released, and the account says the threat may have been a prank or an intimidation attempt rather than a genuine blackmail operation.
The threatened tape
Netanyahu’s Account
The caller reportedly threatened to make a tape documenting the affair public unless Netanyahu withdrew from the leadership race.
Alternative Account
No tape surfaced, leaving uncertain whether the tape existed at all.
- Affair disclosed
- Netanyahu admitted the relationship with Ruth Bar on live television.
- Television appearance
- The admission took place on Channel 1, which was Israel’s only television channel at the time.
- Political contest
- Netanyahu was competing to succeed Yitzhak Shamir as Likud leader after the party’s 1992 election defeat.
- Main rival
- David Levy was Netanyahu’s main rival in the leadership contest.
- Alleged evidence
- A threatened tape was never released, and the account says it may not have existed.
- Political outcome
- Netanyahu won the Likud leadership contest despite the scandal.
- Bar’s later career
- Bar continued working as a psychologist and strategic consultant, later advising senior Israeli political figures and major companies.