Former Netanyahu aide says staff were asked to pledge personal loyalty to PM's family

Yoav Horowitz, a former top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has alleged that employees at the Prime Minister's Office and official residence were compelled to sign a pledge of personal loyalty to the Netanyahu family. Horowitz, who served as the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff from 2015 to 2019, stated that he blocked staff from signing the pledge, but that staff still displayed an "obsession" with the Netanyahu family.

In his recent interviews with Israeli news channels, Horowitz recounted an incident where he physically blocked Prime Minister Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, after she attempted to confront Eli Groner, a former director general of the Prime Minister's Office. Horowitz claimed that Netanyahu was aware of his wife's behavior and that they were perceived as "one entity."

Horowitz also alleged that the Prime Minister's wife and their son, Yair Netanyahu, were highly involved in running the Prime Minister's Office and influenced several decisions, including the installation of metal detectors at the Temple Mount in 2017.

Horowitz further alleged that in 2018, Netanyahu abandoned a deal with the United Nations refugee agency regarding the resettlement of African asylum seekers in Israel, following pressure from members of his family. The deal was intended to stop the forced deportation of 16,000 asylum seekers to Africa and resettle an equal number in Israel and Western countries.

According to Horowitz, Netanyahu changed his mind after receiving a phone call home with shouting on the other end, and the Prime Minister subsequently canceled the decision.

The former aide also noted that Netanyahu often told him, "If I'm not here, there's nothing here," expressing concern about the lack of a suitable successor to lead Israel if Netanyahu were to become incapacitated. Horowitz described Netanyahu as aware of the improper conduct taking place in his office, stating that the court system had become isolated and the rules and laws of the country were not being upheld.

He expressed the belief that since 2019, there has not been true democracy in Israel, with the Prime Minister's Office controlling the Knesset and the judicial system, and taking over the police force.