PM Residence Employee Settles Claim Over Alleged Incident

A confidential settlement agreement was finalized last week at the Jerusalem Labor Court, bringing closure to a lawsuit filed by a former employee of the Prime Minister's Office. The settlement, which includes a payment of tens of thousands of shekels, resolves claims of humiliating and degrading treatment allegedly experienced by the worker during her employment.

The employee, identified in court documents as 'S.', had filed suit against both the State of Israel and the company that employed her at the Prime Minister's Residence. According to reports first disclosed by Kan News, the financial compensation was provided in exchange for the withdrawal of all claims against the defendants.

The case, which was initially reported by Channel 12 News several months ago, concluded without a formal court ruling on the merits of the allegations. Such confidential settlements are common in cases involving high-ranking government officials, allowing parties to avoid prolonged public litigation while resolving disputes privately.

The Alleged Breakfast Incident

Central to the lawsuit were allegations describing a particularly volatile incident that occurred during the employee's duties preparing breakfast for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu. The worker had been employed at the residence over the past two years, according to the complaint.

In her statement of claim, the employee detailed an encounter in which Sara Netanyahu allegedly expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which a salad had been prepared and presented. The situation escalated dramatically, the worker claimed, when tomatoes and olives were thrown in her direction, hitting her clothes.

The complaint further alleged that Sara Netanyahu made harsh verbal statements in the presence of the Prime Minister, including accusations that the employee "does not love her husband" and was acting with intent to harm the couple. The worker characterized the treatment as deeply humiliating and part of a broader pattern of degrading behavior during her tenure.

Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

A Pattern of Legal Disputes

This settlement adds to a lengthy series of legal disputes involving employees at the Prime Minister's Residence. Over the years, multiple workers have filed lawsuits addressing employment conditions and interpersonal dynamics with Sara Netanyahu, several of which have concluded with confidential financial arrangements.

The recurring nature of these cases has sparked ongoing public discussion regarding workplace standards at the official residence and the management style employed there. Critics have pointed to the pattern as indicative of systemic issues, while supporters have noted that high-pressure environments naturally generate friction.

Most recently, Sara Netanyahu secured a significant legal victory when the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court ordered former housekeeper Sylvie Genesia to pay NIS 100,000 in damages for defamation and invasion of privacy. That ruling, delivered after six years of litigation, was based largely on procedural failures by the defense rather than a full examination of the underlying allegations.