The protesters’ Wednesday night time siege of the wonder parlor, accompanied by chants of “disgrace, disgrace,” forged a highlight on Mrs. Netanyahu, a divisive determine lengthy been intertwined together with her husband’s political profession.

She has drawn scorn for a status of dwelling a lavish life-style on the taxpayers’ expense — a picture solely strengthened by her determination to get her hair finished within the heart of a metropolis wracked by unrest that turned violent Wednesday for the primary time.

Israelis have additionally accused Mrs. Netanyahu, a former air hostess turned instructional psychologist, of wielding undue affect over Netanyahu, pressuring him over political appointments and coverage points.

Right here’s a take a look at what has made Netanyahu’s spouse so controversial over some three many years on the political stage.

HEY, BIG SPENDER

Mrs. Netanyahu, 64, has garnered sensational headlines over time for allegedly misappropriating public funds, overspending on family bills and pocketing presents from world leaders, amongst different issues. In 2019, she accepted a plea cut price to settle accusations that she misused $100,000 in public funds to order lavish meals from movie star cooks on the prime minister’s official residence, though she already had cooks on the federal government payroll. She additionally has grow to be entangled in Netanyahu’s corruption trial, which has precipitated the nation’s yearslong political disaster.

In change for political favors, Netanyahu allegedly accepted presents from billionaire associates that included tens of hundreds of dollars in crates of champagne and indulgent jewellery for Mrs. Netanyahu, and struck backroom offers with newspaper publishers geared toward scoring extra favorable protection of his spouse. He denies all wrongdoing. Most just lately, a parliamentary committee authorized new spending cash for the Netanyahus, together with a rise of hundreds of dollars every year in clothes and make-up bills for Mrs. Netanyahu.

“The final feeling is that it is a very grasping couple,” stated Israeli journalist Amir Oren. “It does have a type of Marie Antoinette vibe.”

TEMPER TANTRUMS

Through the years, Mrs. Netanyahu’s family assist has persistently accused her of explosive tirades and mistreatment. In a single case, a leaked cellphone dialog surfaced of Mrs. Netanyahu screaming at her publicist about how a gossip column omitted to say of her instructional credentials. In one other, the household’s nanny stated Mrs. Netanyahu fired her for burning a pot of soup, kicking her onto the curb with out her garments or passport.

Two home staff have received damages in lawsuits accusing Mrs. Netanyahu of creating their lives depressing. In court docket testimony, one among them revealed Mrs. Netanyahu’s style for pink champagne and different costly luxuries. Associates and workers over time have shared accounts about Mrs. Netanyahu’s excessive outbursts and unhealthy obsession with cleanliness. Netanyahu’s household has depicted themselves because the casualties of a press warfare. They introduced a libel go well with in opposition to Ehud Olmert, a former prime minister, after he described them as being “mentally sick.”

CALLING THE SHOTS?

Critics of Netanyahu’s household have accused Mrs. Netanyahu of interference within the prime minister’s decision-making. Former officers have testified just lately in court docket that Mrs. Netanyahu wielded undue affect over high safety appointments. In January, a retired common testified that Mrs. Netanyahu interviewed him for 45 minutes for the job of the prime minister’s navy secretary, after Netanyahu had left the room. “For the previous few years, there was no appointment of a senior official that was not interviewed or influenced by Sara,” stated Gayil Talshir, professor of political science at Hebrew College of Jerusalem.

She has been accused of pushing Netanyahu additional to the fitting and serving to drive his authorities’s willpower to overtake the nation’s judiciary — a plan that has prompted among the largest protests in Israeli historical past and drawn widespread condemnation from throughout Israeli society and around the globe.

Given her previous authorized troubles, critics argue, she has simply as a lot stake within the authorities’s plan to weaken the court docket system as her husband. Mrs. Netanyahu and her son, Yair — equally a lightning rod for controversy — have repeatedly incited in opposition to Israel’s “elites” – the media, the bureaucrats, the civil servants. Netanyahu insists that his spouse retains out of political affairs.

BAD HAIR DAY

Due to Mrs. Netanyahu’s public profile, the opposition argues she’s not merely a primary girl — however somewhat, a professional political goal for the protest motion. Yair Golan, a former common and one-time Meretz get together lawmaker, informed Kan radio that “with all due respect, Sara Netanyahu is a political determine” and is concerned in key appointments and choices.

But the dramatic scenes of police forces, secret service and helicopters referred to as to extract Mrs. Netanyahu from her hair appointment modified the course of “the day of disruption.” Netanyahu posted a photograph on Twitter that confirmed him hugging his spouse late at night time, saying she returned residence protected and warning that such “anarchy” would result in the lack of life.

The incident, which grabbed headlines even after police shocked the nation by firing water cannons, stun grenades and tear gasoline at pro-democracy protesters, as soon as once more revealed Netanyahu to be a grasp political manipulator, stated Talshir. “He managed to play it nicely, projecting his spouse as the true sufferer of yesterday’s protest,” she stated. “However from the protesters’ viewpoint, Sara has been essential in dividing the nation and turning it towards autocracy.”