Amidst a politically sensitive period, Sarah Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is facing a lawsuit for allegedly calling an employee a 'backward Moroccan'.
Rami Ben Hamo claims he was subject to 'harsh attacks, insults, and humiliation' if he did not comply with Sarah's instructions.
He emphasized that Sarah Netanyahu insulted him racially, referring to him as a 'backward Moroccan.'
Ben Hamo is seeking more than $112,000 in compensation, asserting that the racial slurs and unreasonable demands persisted even after he underwent heart treatment.
Netanyahu's Office Denies Accusations
Conversely, the Prime Minister's office has denied these accusations, dismissing them as 'fake news and a continuation of a witch hunt against the Prime Minister, his wife, and family, which intensifies during election campaigns.'
Notably, another former employee at the Israeli Prime Minister's residence, Yehiel Ohayev Ami, also filed a lawsuit last month against Sarah, accusing her of verbal and physical abuse. He demanded $75,000 in compensation after being dismissed from his job, which involved cooking and cleaning duties.
Cleaning Shoe Soles
Ami claimed he was daily forced to clean the couple's shoe soles, ensuring 'his hand did not mistakenly enter the shoe.' He added that minor errors were met with 'a barrage of shouting and curses.'
He also alleged Sarah Netanyahu violently shoved him against a wall on three occasions, once yelling, 'Who is this fool... Who is the backward one?' He mentioned she told him, 'I hope you get cancer... and hope you die' upon returning from a smoking break.
Three other former employees have filed similar lawsuits, claims which Sarah Netanyahu has also denied.
The new lawsuit and Ben Hamo's accusations emerge at a politically crucial time for her husband. Netanyahu's main competitor in the upcoming October general elections, Gadi Eizenkot, the former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, is of Moroccan Jewish descent.
In Israel, the 'Mizrahim' community, generally referring to Jews from the Middle East, is traditionally associated with the working class, unlike elite Israeli families like the Netanyahu's, who are likely of Ashkenazi descent from Central Europe. The Likud party, led by Netanyahu, has heavily relied on this group's votes in past elections, but polls suggest Eizenkot, known for his rise from humble beginnings to prominence and his direct style, could make significant headway in this voter base.