Netanyahu Seeks Israeli Taxpayer Funds to Boost Son's Security in Miami

[SomNaNa555]

Netanyahu Seeks Israeli Taxpayer Funds to Boost Son's Security in Miami

 

On the sun-soaked boulevards of Miami-Dade and Broward counties, where luxury apartments and high-end clubs define the skyline, one resident, Yair Netanyahu, far from war, is loafing in luxe south Florida digs, and has become a focal point of an international controversy.  

 

Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, has been living in the area since last year, and his extended stay has ignited something of a firestorm back home. The temperature ratcheted up a few notches with his father's recent request for increased security for the 33-year-old, paid for by Israeli taxpayers. 

 

Yair Netanyahu has been protected by the Shin Bet, AKA the Israel Security Agency (ISA), the equivalent of the Central Intelligence Agency in the U.S. The estimated annual cost: 2.5 million shekels — nearly $700,000 in the U.S. There are two Shin Bet security guards with Netanyahu whenever he leaves his home. The costs incurred so far cover accommodation and food for the guards, a car and driver, and paying for an additional local security guard.  

 

The cited amount does not include the additional cost of the Shin Bet staff salaries or paying to fly them to and from Israel, the unsourced report said. The guards are switched every two to three weeks. Funding was transferred from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Foreign Ministry and from there to the Israeli consulate in Miami, which has forked out for most of the expenses. A source familiar with the arrangements said that security for Yair Netanyahu costs more when he is abroad. “Miami is an expensive destination,”

 

This protection, provided despite Yair's life far from the front lines of Israel's current war against Hamas, has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage among Israelis, many of whom are experiencing the ongoing conflict firsthand.

 

Yair, meanwhile, has been keeping a low profile in South Florida, retreating from the public eye and mostly avoiding the paparazzi who regularly stake out his luxury apartment in Hallandale Beach (a recent scare notwithstanding). The unit occupied by Netanyahu costs $5,000 per month, though it is not clear who is footing the bill. The complex has tennis courts, a spa, a game lounge, a private cinema, a wine cellar, and a cigar room.

 

Yair in particular has been accused of living the life of a spoiled dauphin who spends most of his time on social media attacking his father’s critics, drawing both flak and legal trouble. A spokesperson for the Netanyahu family said, “It’s clear this is an agenda-driven political hit piece aimed at tarnishing Israel’s rightwing prime minister during wartime by attacking his family.”

 

The younger Netanyahu is known for his far-right views and combative social media presence, which has landed him in court on a number of occasions. His public prominence has risen amid widespread reports that he has been influencing his father’s policies. He has been sued multiple times and ordered to pay out hundreds of thousands of shekels in compensation.

 

Shortly after the October 7 massacre, Netanyahu shared posts blaming security services for failures that led to the attack, including one claiming that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi knew of the coming assault but didn’t tell the prime minister as part of a military coup.

 

Netanyahu spent most of 2023 in the US and before October 7 was hoping to gain a Green Card, according to Hebrew media reports. After the attack, he stayed in the US but, amid criticism, eventually flew back to volunteer with the United Hatzala first responder organization, reportedly manning telephones during a fundraiser at the end of November. By mid-January he was back in the US, apparently staying at the Miami condo. Netanyahu cannot work in the US as he is on a tourist visa. A US tourist visa, also known as a B-2 visa, is typically valid for up to 10 years, but the maximum stay per entry is 180 days.

 

In January last year, before Yair Netanyahu had left Israel, then Foreign Minister Eli Cohen instructed that he be given a diplomatic passport. According to regulations, the children of a prime minister are only entitled to a diplomatic passport while they are still minors.

 

Netanyahu left Israel amid reports he was banned by his father from posting on social media for inflaming tensions in Israel, exacerbating a diplomatic rift with the United States. In September, US immigration lawyer Michael Wildes posted that Netanyahu had become a client of his firm, which would represent the prime minister’s son on his “international matters.”

 

An unnamed source quoted Yair Netanyahu as saying he wants to move to the US and legally work there but was concerned the plan may be torpedoed because the Biden administration is “not the best of friends.” an unnamed source quoting Yair Netanyahu as saying he wants to move to the US and legally work there but was concerned the plan may be torpedoed because the Biden administration is “not the best of friends.” Netanyahu reportedly made the remarks at a June wedding in London of a family that donates to his father. He denied the report.

 

In June, at a court hearing to obtain a restraining order against an anti-government protester, Netanyahu’s legal representative said that his client “does not intend to return to the country in the near future,” Hebrew media reported.

 

Note -

Yair seems to be an Israeli draft dodger not doing mandatory service in the IDF. The State of Israel requires every Israeli citizen over the age of 18 who is Jewish, Druze or Circassian to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Once enlisted, men are expected to serve for a minimum of 32 months and women are expected to serve for a minimum of 24 months. 

 

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-security-boosted-for-israeli-yair-netanyahu-21164646

 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/far-from-war-yair-netanyahu-peeped-loafing-in-luxe-south-florida-digs/

[thaibeachlovers]

WOW. Corruption laid bare.

I guess netanyahu snr knows he's in for it once the conflict is over, so exploiting it while he can.