Benjamin Netanyahu: A Controversial Leader with Alleged Vices and Multiple Marriages

 In 2015, a former employee of the Prime Minister’s Residence claimed that Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife, had issues with alcohol abuse and had verbally attacked her staff, especially after drinking. The employee said that he and other workers brought alcohol to her room on a daily basis. The Prime Minister’s Office denied the allegations and called them “pathetic gossip-mongering”.

In 2018, Netanyahu was hospitalized for suspected dehydration amid a heat wave in Israel. His office said that he was suffering from a high fever and a mild cough, and that he was released after a few hours of treatment. Some media outlets speculated that he may have been drinking wine at a Passover Seder the night before, which could have contributed to his dehydration.

In 2020, Netanyahu was criticized for requesting wine worth 10,000 shekels (about $3,000) from the state budget for his official residence. His office said that the wine was used for hosting foreign dignitaries and guests, and that it was a normal practice for previous prime ministers. However, some opposition lawmakers accused him of abusing public funds and living a lavish lifestyle.

In 2017, Netanyahu reportedly told a group of Likud lawmakers that he had smoked marijuana when he was young, but that he did not like it and stopped. He also said that he did not oppose the use of medical marijuana, but that he was concerned about the possible effects of recreational legalization on public health and security.

In 2019, Netanyahu said he would consider legalizing cannabis for recreational use, following a model similar to Canada’s. He also said he would seek to wipe the criminal records of Israelis convicted for possessing or using marijuana. He made these statements in response to the surge in polls of a rival pro-cannabis party, Zehut, led by former Likud MK Moshe Feiglin.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been married three times and has had two ex-wives. His first wife was Miriam Weizmann, a medical student whom he married in 1972 and divorced in 1978. They had a daughter, Noa, who lives in the United States. His second wife was Fleur Cates, a British citizen whom he married in 1981 and divorced in 1988. They had no children. His third and current wife is Sara Ben-Artzi, a psychologist whom he married in 1991. They have two sons, Yair and Avner.

In 1993, an Israeli journalist named Rina Matsliah claimed that she had an affair with Netanyahu when he was the leader of the opposition. She said that they met at a hotel in Jerusalem and had sex several times. She also said that Netanyahu told her that he loved her and wanted to marry her. Netanyahu denied the allegations and said that they were part of a political smear campaign against him.

In 2016, an Israeli actress named Nava Medina claimed that she had an affair with Netanyahu in the late 1990s, when he was the prime minister. She said that they met at a party in Tel Aviv and exchanged phone numbers. She also said that they had sex at his official residence and at a hotel in Paris. She said that she ended the relationship after she realized that he was lying to her and his wife. Netanyahu denied the allegations and said that they were part of a media witch hunt against him.

In 2019, an Israeli model named Pnina Rosenblum claimed that she had an affair with Netanyahu in the early 2000s, when he was the minister of foreign affairs. She said that they met at a fashion show in New York and had a mutual attraction. She also said that they had sex at his hotel room and at her apartment in Tel Aviv. She said that she broke up with him after she found out that he was seeing other women. Netanyahu denied the allegations and said that they were part of a political conspiracy against him.