Israel’s Netanyahu fires spokesperson over disputes with his wife

By Said Amori and Rania Abu Shamala

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his spokesperson, Omer Dostri, on Saturday, less than a year after his appointment, due to repeated disputes with Netanyahu’s wife.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth and Channel 13 quoted unnamed sources from Netanyahu’s office saying: “Dostri will not accompany the prime minister on his upcoming visit to Washington, as he is traveling from Tel Aviv this Saturday evening.”

The sources stated that “one of the main reasons for his dismissal was his repeated conflicts with Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife.”

They noted that during his tenure, Dostri sparked a series of media controversies, including interviews deemed inaccurate, tensions with journalists, and leaks of classified information.

Dostri was also accused of excluding certain journalists from official media groups associated with the Prime Minister’s office, the newspaper reported, citing sources.

In November 2024, the internal security service arrested four employees of Netanyahu’s office, including a former spokesperson, in a case involving “leaking sensitive security information to foreign media.”

Netanyahu had appointed Dostri as his spokesperson in August 2024.