In a dramatic resurgence on social media, Yair Netanyahu, the outspoken son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has once again thrust himself into the center of Israelโs political storm. This time, his target is the High Courtโs decision to temporarily freeze the State Comptroller's audit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Shin Bet regarding the catastrophic events of October 7th.
Yair Netanyahu, who has been largely absent from public life, residing in Florida since earlier in 2023 after he lost a libel suit back in March of that year over a series of Tweets where he criticized former Labor Knesset Member Stav Shaffir, took to his X account (formerly Twitter) on Monday. His posts seemed designed to protect his father while launching a vehement attack on an Israeli institution often accused of harboring bias against the long-serving Prime Minister.
ืื ืื ืื ืกืื ืืืกืชืืจ? ืื ืื ืืืืชื ืืืืื, ืืื ืื ืื ืืคืืืื ืฉืืืืงื ืืืจืืื ืืืฆืื ืื ืืขืฆืืืื ืื ืงืจื? ืขื ืืืื ืื ืืชืงืืื ืชืฉืืื ืืื ืื ืขืืื ื ืืช ืจืืฉ ืืืืฉืื ืขื ืืฉืืื ืืืืื ืฉืืคื ื ื7.10? ืืื ืื ืขืืื ื ืืืชื ืขื ืืืืืจ ืฉืืชืืื ืืืกืืจืช ืืืืดื ืืืืืืขื ื ืดืืืืืช ืืจืืืืด? ืืื ืจืืฉื ืืฆืื ืืืืืืืขืื ืืขื ื ืื ืืืืโฆ pic.twitter.com/UIHmQLhkkY
โ Yair Netanyahu๐ฎ๐ฑ (@YairNetanyahu) June 16, 2024
The High Court's contentious decision to freeze the audit, initiated by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman, is pending a hearing set for July. Englman, seen by critics as a Netanyahu ally, embarked on his probe in December despite the IDF's ongoing internal investigations. The IDF, backed by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, had rebuffed Englman's request for access to internal military documents, arguing that such inquiries in the midst of a war would be dangerously disruptive.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has consistently maintained that a comprehensive state commission of inquiry should be pursued post-war. Halevi's stance highlights the unprecedented nature of Englmanโs mid-war probe, with all previous comptroller investigations occurring only after conflicts had ended.
Englman's tenure as State Comptroller has been mired in controversy since his secret ballot election by the Knesset in 2019 during Netanyahuโs previous administration. Critics have long speculated that his appointment was orchestrated to shield Netanyahu from criminal investigations based on a decision he made to allow the Prime Minister to borrow state funds to cover his criminal defense. Despite this, Englman has undertaken measures aimed at increasing the transparency of state investigations, striving to demystify government actions for the public, and has been hotly critical of Netanyahu throughout his tenure as well. His latest probe, however, has faced opposition from the IDF and the State Attorneyโs Office, with concerns it would undermine military operations and obscure political accountability for the October 7 invasion and massacres.
State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman called on Wednesday on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to cooperate in the October 7 probe, according to reports. https://t.co/FRM7y1wAzL
โ The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) May 1, 2024
Yair Netanyahu, widely popular among Israelโs far-right and a former radio show host, had been relatively quiet after moving to Florida. Many speculate that his relocation was a tactical move to mitigate his inflammatory public comments, which often exacerbated national tensions. Breaking his silence, Yair posted a provocative message questioning the High Courtโs motives: โIf there was no betrayal, why are they so afraid that external and independent parties will check what happened?โ He insinuated that state investigative committees, often led by Supreme Court judges, are tools for left-wing cover-ups.
Some argue that the young Netanyahu's backing of the Comptroller's investigation is something his own father would not want, given the fact that as the leader of a nation, the failures of any institution under him is often seen as his own. Couple that with the allegations that Netanyahu's lobbying of Qatar to continue funding Hamas back in 2018 helped prop-up the terror group and enabled them the resources to build out their terror infrastructure and Yair Netanyahu's post seems counterproductive to his father's interests.
Does Yair Netanyahu not know that his dad doesn't want an investigation now, either? https://t.co/Px9njXsqLB
โ Lahav Harkov ๐๏ธ (@LahavHarkov) June 17, 2024
Yairโs social media activity has previously landed him in legal trouble. His recent posts included a scathing critique of Israelโs top security chiefs, labeling them as โfatal failures,โ and a video supporting an IDF reservistโs threat of mutiny against Chief of Staff Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, demanding a decisive victory over Hamas. In December, he endorsed a conspiracy theory alleging that Halevi had prior knowledge of the Hamas attack but withheld information from the Prime Minister.
These incendiary remarks are not confined to Yair. Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has reportedly remarked that Israel functions more as โa country with an army, not an army with a country,โ reflecting deep-seated frustrations within the government.
Yairโs continued residence in the US amidst the ongoing conflict have drawn significant criticism. His prolonged absence contrasts sharply with the tens of thousands of Israelis returning home to fulfill their reservist duties.
"Yair Netanyhu is getting sun burns in the pool": Aviv Gefen closes accounts with Yair Netanyahu. Yair Netanyahu, who is staying in Florida, received severe criticism in light of the war in Israel when hundreds of thousands leave everything and return to Israel to take part inโฆ pic.twitter.com/vANuAS7XnP
โ Eli Dror (@edrormba) October 30, 2023
As Yair Netanyahu continues his controversial online crusade, the Israeli political landscape remains intensely polarized. His return to the digital fray promises further tumult, challenging the very institutions tasked with navigating the nation through its current crises.
