Sara Netanyahu
Sara NetanyahuFlash 90

Sara Netanyahu did not reach the Jerusalem District Court at noon today, despite yesterday's decision that the Prime Minister's wife attend.

Defense attorney Yossi Cohen argued that testimony by the Prime Minister's wife today would constitute a violation of her legal rights.

"I apologize that Mrs. Netanyahu did not come. I called three witnesses before her and my assessment was that we wouldn't have enough time to reach Sara Netanyahu's testimony," Cohen said during the hearing. Judge Eyal Avrahami replied to lawyer Cohen: "That's outrageous."

"Mrs. Netanyahu should have testified first and there's no reason for her not to be here. This will be reflected in court expenses," the judge added.

The court was scheduled to hold a hearing today on a lawsuit filed by Shira Raban, an employee of the Prime Minister's Residence, against the wife of Prime Minister Sara Netanyahu for abusive employment.

"It's not easy for me to sue Ms. Netanyahu or anyone from the Prime Minister's Office because of my religious beliefs and the limitations imposed on me as part of the haredi community in Jerusalem," Raban wrote at the time.

Raban described in her affidavit work at the Prime Minister's Residence under Netanyahu: "My offensive and unimaginable work environment included, among other things: shouting, humiliation - 'you are a lump of nothing'; 'you don't belong to the Netanyahu family'; 'I wouldn't accept you for work,' and other unfounded allegations and even verbal and physical threats. "