Netanyahu pleads for extended security, fears for family amid violent threats

Netanyahu cited a number of violent threats aimed at him and his family, “even to murder us,” including as recent as “yesterday.”

By Atara Beck, World Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is demanding extended security for his family amid threats of violence against his wife and children.

The Ministerial Committee for the Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, is set to end protection for the former prime minister’s family on Monday.

In a video posted to Twitter on Friday, Netanyahu cited a number of violent threats aimed at him and his family, “even to murder us,” including as recently as “yesterday.”

The threats have been ongoing over the past half a year, since he lost the premiership, he said.

On Thursday, according to Netanyahu, “a far-left group that calls itself ‘Crime Minister’ publicized another direct threat to hurt my wife and sons.”

“This coming Monday, as agreed up some time ago, the security detail will be lifted and the cars will be seized from Sara Netanyahu and her two sons,” the group posted on social media.

“This is a clear threat to hurt them,” Netanyahu declared, adding that it includes the exact time when the security will be lifted and that no one should be surprised if anything happens.

And yet another threat addressed to his son Yair reached his office, he said, showing viewers the hand-written warning by “four Israelis out of the country, who will be returning shortly” in order to murder Netanyahu and the entire family. “You’ll die soon. Wait for us. We’ll be there soon,” the letter said.

He then showed a clip of a protest in May where far-left activist Haim Shadmi — who recently demanded security guards to protect Palestinans — said that one day, Netanyahu will lose his security details and then, “Poof, who knows [what can happen?].”

Netanyahu, whose own security automatically continues, pleaded for an extension to his family’s security due to the frequent threats against them. “Do not abandon the security of my wife and children,” he said.

The Crime Minister group responded by saying it would be a waste of funds to extend the security and that Netanyahu is lying and playing victim. “There is no red line that man won’t cross so that his family can milk the public treasury,” the group claimed.