Sarah, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, granted a rare interview to Channel 2 television in which she asks the press to stop trying to hurt her husband through allegations against her.
Netanyahu broke her long silence after State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss announced he would hold an inquiry into allegations raised by Channel 10. The channel claimed that in the period between Netanyahu's first and second terms as prime minister, he and his wife made dozens of trips abroad, and enjoyed luxurious accommodations. These accommodations were paid for by private businessmen who - allegedly - could become interested parties in decisions made by Netanyahu if he were to be re-elected as prime minister.
"I decided to talk because I feel that there is no energy left for another assault, Again I stand before the public as a target. Again, they hurt the prime minister through me. This is vicious-evil gossip, which becomes a sort of permanent ritual of hypocrisy and sanctimoniousness. Enough. Enough already. This has to stop!"
In the interview, Netanyahu claims that every Israeli politician should be investigated over their travel funding, saying that it was a standard and permissible habit. She added that there was no ethical problem with the couple's travels, calling the reports of special treatment disingenuous, "We travelled according to the standards of the former prime minister" .