Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke openly about his relationship with his daughter Noa, who became haredi, and lives in Jerusalem’s Meah Shearim neighborhood, during an interview on a podcast hosted by media personality Avi Shoshani.
Netanyahu addressed years of speculation and reports suggesting that he and his daughter had become estranged, firmly denying the claims and stating that they remain in contact.
Asked whether he speaks with his daughter, Netanyahu replied, “Yes," and said they had spoken recently, a few weeks earlier. He added that they meet “from time to time" and celebrate holidays together, while taking into account his security arrangements and demanding schedule.
The prime minister was also asked whether his haredi grandchildren recognize him as their grandfather. He answered affirmatively, saying they meet during family gatherings.
Netanyahu criticized media reports that portrayed his relationship with his daughter as distant, saying: “I cannot be responsible for all the lies they are telling about me. It’s simply an industry of lies."
During the interview, Netanyahu also discussed his daughter’s decision to adopt a haredi lifestyle and move to the heart of Jerusalem’s haredi community.
“It’s a process I knew about," he said, adding that he supported her choice. “This is her choice, and certainly it does her good. She wouldn’t have made this choice if it didn’t do her good."
Netanyahu explained that he had avoided speaking publicly about his daughter’s personal life because she wanted to maintain her privacy.
“This is her choice to keep her privacy. In families, there is that choice," he said. “It’s not that my sons want me to talk about them, but the media homes in on them, and then you have to protect them where possible, and it really isn’t easy."