The Truth About Yair Netanyahu That Americans Haven’t Heard

In recent years, various Israeli media outlets; from both the right (Maariv) and Left (Haaretz/Ynet) have documented troubling patterns exhibited by Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Repeated Reports of Erratic Behavior

In his 2018 book The Netanyahu Years, Maariv journalist Ben Caspit noted that insiders close to the Netanyahu family described Yair Netanyahu as exhibiting "unpredictable mood swings" and "reckless impulsivity" (Caspit, 2018, Maariv Books).

Similarly, Uri Misgav of Haaretz, repeatedly pointed to Yair's "unfiltered, aggressive" social media presence, suggesting that it reflected "a loss of proportion and a growing sense of paranoia about imaginary threats" (Haaretz, July 2019).

In an op-ed titled The Crown Prince of Incitement, Misgav wrote:

Public Incidents That Sparked Outrage

In December 2017, Israel's Channel 2 News published recordings of Yair Netanyahu during a night out at a strip club in Tel Aviv.

The tapes captured him making vulgar comments and boasting about his family's political influence.

The Jerusalem Post reported on the incident and quoted sources who described the episode as "deeply embarrassing" and "damaging to Israel’s public image".

Aggressive Online Behavior

Yair’s use of social media has been widely criticized as well.

In August 2020, during protests outside the Prime Minister’s Residence, Yair encouraged his followers to photograph protesters and post their pictures online.

According to Ynet:

The left-leaning Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also criticized Yair Netanyahu for sharing memes that echoed antisemitic tropes about George Soros (ADL Statement, 2020). Yet criticism has not come solely from the left. A senior journalist from Israel’s conservative camp, writing in Israel Hayom, described privately a reality in which "the entire right-wing media is afraid of Yair."

Testimonies from Former Staff

During legal proceedings involving allegations of misconduct at the Prime Minister’s Residence, Meni Naftali — a former housekeeper — testified that Yair’s behavior toward staff was "frequently demeaning and verbally aggressive". Naftali’s testimony was supported by affidavits from additional former staffers, who described "emotional outbursts" and "an atmosphere of fear" linked to Yair's presence (Haaretz Court Report, 2017).

Academic Concerns

Dr. Alon Liel, a former senior Israeli diplomat, stated in an interview with Channel 12 (2021) that:

While Dr. Liel did not suggest any clinical diagnosis, his warning reflects a broader concern echoed by multiple public figures. The responsibility to evaluate the implications of such patterns rests with the public, the media, and Israel's democratic institutions.

Recently, reports have emerged indicating that despite living in Miami, Yair Netanyahu’s involvement in various matters is steadily increasing. It is important that friends of Israel and Israelis themselves understand what is truly at stake.