Lawsuit Accuses Sara Netanyahu of Verbal Abuse and Excessive Work Demands

A household employee, Rami Ben-Hamo, filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem Regional Labor Court seeking 450,000 shekels in compensation. The filing alleges that Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, subjected him to daily verbal abuse, ethnic slurs such as “primitive Moroccan,” and humiliating instructions—including cleaning wipes being thrown on the floor when he missed a spot. The suit claims the mistreatment intensified after Ben-Hamo suffered a cardiac event, and that Sara Netanyahu informed the prime minister that the employee had said “May God take her away,” a statement Ben-Hamo says he never made.

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According to the filing, Ben-Hamo’s workday began around 7:30 a.m. and often extended into the night, with 60–80 overtime hours each month—far beyond the limits of his contract. He was required to wash his hands more than ten times daily and to clean Sara Netanyahu’s personal bag and shoe soles with wipes. The employee also reports being kept at work after the start of Shabbat despite being observant.

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A statement issued on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the allegations as “fake news” and characterized them as part of an “escalating campaign” against the family during election periods. The statement accused Channel 12 of conducting a “shameless election campaign” on behalf of political opponents. The filing notes that Acting Prime Minister's Office (PMO) director-general Drorit Steinmetz refused Ben-Hamo’s initial wording that he left because of the wife’s shouting, directing him to cite “personal reasons” instead.

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• “I am the prime minister’s wife. You will do what I tell you.” — Ben Hamo

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• “You don’t know how to make a bed. I’ll teach you.” — Ben Hamo

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Ben-Hamo also seeks 400,000 shekels for alleged non-financial harm and 50,000 shekels for violations of Israel’s Hours of Work and Rest Law. His claim follows a separate lawsuit filed by another residence employee, which resulted in a settlement of tens of thousands of shekels; that earlier case was reported on May 11.

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