Yair Netanyahu Goes AWOL
Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, wanted to pop home for Shabbat dinner with his family. So that is just what he did. The only problem was that Yair is an IDF soldier, and he did not have permission to do so.
Now, Yair is serving a 21-day military detention for his impulsive move. The punishment is not only for going AWOL — with two bodyguards in tow — but also for lying to his superior about his whereabouts.
It seems that when reporters were getting no answer at the IDF Spokesperson’s Office’s international desk, where the younger Netanyahu serves, they contacted the officer in charge. The officer called Netanyahu, who did not pick up his phone, but who did text the officer saying he had gone out for food.
There’s going out for food and then there’s going out for food at your parents’ Shabbat table for several hours without permission to leave your base. It looks like Yair is going to have a few long weeks to ponder that difference.
There’s been no public comment from mom and dad, who are probably far less overjoyed now about their son’s surprise visit than they were when he showed up at home last Friday.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
