Baruch Dayan HaEmet

Moti Sander, Netanyahu confidant, dies

The businessman and behind-the-scenes power broker, who played a key role in some of Israel's most dramatic political moments, passed away.

Jfeed Staff

OCT 18, 2026 13:19

1 min read

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Businessman Moti Sander, a well-connected figure in Israel's political and media circles who was close to both Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Yitzchak Herzog, passed away.

Sander was known as a key behind-the-scenes player in some of the most turbulent political junctures of recent years. In 2019, he filmed a dramatic video recording Netanyahu's commitment to then-Labor Party chairman Avi Gabbay never to join forces with Avigdor Liberman, a pledge that formed the basis of advanced coalition talks and nearly prevented the political system from sliding into a second round of elections.

His involvement in the corridors of power and quiet negotiations continued in later years. Earlier this year, Sander claimed he had been involved in discreet contacts between Netanyahu and Herzog on the eve of the presidential election, touching on sensitive matters including a possible plea deal and pardon options, though both sides denied at the time that such contacts had taken place.

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