Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak sharply criticized Sara Netanyahu, wife of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a radio interview Tuesday morning, responding to her recent comments about opposition Democrats party leader Yair Golan. Speaking on 103FM with hosts Gideon Oku and Amichai Atali, Barak said she "needs professional attention and perhaps compassion," and placed responsibility for her public involvement squarely on her husband.
After hearing Sara Netanyahu's remarks about Golan, Barak said: "I say this personally: she needs professional attention and perhaps compassion."
He went on to argue that the prime minister himself is accountable for allowing his wife to become involved in political matters. According to Barak, previous Israeli leaders maintained clear boundaries between family life and political affairs. "We're talking about her because of her husband. Her husband is responsible for her involvement in these things. All the prime ministers had spouses, one had a male spouse, and they all knew how to separate family life from political life," he said.
Barak also defended Golan, recounting an incident from the opposition leader's military service when he served as deputy battalion commander. Barak recalled visiting Golan in the hospital after he was wounded and asking the battalion commander how the deputy was the first to be injured: "They told me: 'Before we understood what happened, Yair was the first to charge forward.' He's a brave and sharp man, it's very good that he's in politics, and it's shameful that the prime minister's wife refers to him in this way."
