Family of former Netanyahu aid readying lawsuit against Likud, Netanyahu and his wife

Bliveis "suffered from harassment, mistreatment, and humiliations that severely harmed her and led to a deterioration in her health condition," the lawsuit read.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 24, 2024 08:01

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu stand next to the dedication plaque of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, after the dedication ceremony of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, May 14, 2018. (photo credit: ILLUSTRATIVE/RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)

The family of Hani Bliveis, a long-time close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his wife, Sara, are readying a lawsuit against the prime minister, his wife, and the Likud party, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday.

Bliveis fell out with the Netanyahu couple shortly before her death from cancer in March 2023.

Bliveis "suffered from harassment, mistreatment, and humiliations that severely harmed her and led to a deterioration in her health condition," the lawsuit read, according to the Israeli news outlet.

"The plaintiff regularly carried out numerous purchases on behalf of the chairwoman of the defendant (the Likud party), the wife of the prime minister, and their family, for which the plaintiff was supposed to receive reimbursement for her expenses," it continued. 

The lawsuit also claims the plaintiff carried out various purchases for the defendant, which ranged from food for the movement's members to personal objects for the "chairman of the movement and his family, which the defendant is obligated to reimburse. 

PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu holds a news conference in Jerusalem in March. He has been through a lot, but nothing like this, the writer maintains. (credit: Marc Israel Sellem/Jerusalem Post)

"In practice, the plaintiff served as a 'wallet' for workers of the party," with sums amounting to NIS 400,000 at least, the lawsuit reportedly alleges.

The lawsuit also claims that Bliveis was mistreated by Likud members, with the knowledge of the party's chairman. 

According to Channel 12, the lawsuit further alleges that Likud's Executive Director General claimed Bliveis was not ill and instead put on an act to retain her position. 

"These are false, unfounded, and baseless claims aimed at extorting money from the Likud, and they will be addressed in court," the Likud statement read in response to the Channel 12 report. 

Uvda's leaked text messages

This comes as the Channel 12 show Uvda revealed leaked text messages between Bliveis and the prime minister's wife appear to show the aid being ordered to organize protests and social media campaigns against political rivals of Netanyahu. 

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According to Uvda, Bliveis was also directed, among other things, to order protests against former Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit and prosecutor Liat Ben-Ari for indicting the prime minister and encouraging former Israel Police regional commander Dep.-Ch. Danny Levy, now the Israel Police commissioner, to increase enforcement of COVID-19 laws against protestors opposing the prime minister. 

Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.