Israeli reservists have criticised Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair for remaining in Miami rather than joining the fight against Hamas.
The 32-year-old is living in Florida, where he moved earlier this year after he was sued for defamation in Israel over social media posts against a political activist.
Around 360,000 reservists have been called up in Israel following the bloody 7 October attack on Israel launched by Hamas fighters from Gaza.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has received fierce criticism in Israel over the shocking surprise attack, which left more than 1,400 civilians and soldiers dead and hundreds more taken hostage.
Now reservists called up for the war have criticised his son for not returning home to fight in the expected upcoming ground assault on the Palestinian enclave.
Yair Netanyau, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, assists in sorting donated supplies to IDF soldiers and Israeli families impacted by the Israel-Hamas war, with NGO Yedidim USA— (Orit Ben-Ezzer/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)
“Yair is enjoying his life at Miami Beach while I’m on the front lines,” one reservist on Israel’s northern front told London’s The Times newspaper.
“It’s us who are leaving our work, our families, our kids, to protect our families back home and the country, not the people who are responsible for this situation.
“Our brothers, our fathers, sons, are all going to the front line, but Yair is still not here. It does not help build trust in the leadership of the country.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses media during a joint press conference with French President in Jerusalem— (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Israel’s armed forces are made up of a large number of reservists who have completed national service and can be called upon until the age of 40.
While most are based in Israel, some have flown from countries around the world to report for duty.
“I’ve flown back from the States where I have a job, a life, my family,” another reservist told the newspaper.
“There is no way I can stay there and abandon my country, my people, at this critical time. Where is the prime minister’s son? Why isn’t he in Israel?
“It is the most uniting moment for us as Israelis in our recent history and every single one of us should be here right now, including the prime minister’s son.”
On 17 October Yair Netanyahu helped sort donated supplies to IDF soldiers and Israeli families impacted by the Israel-Hamas war, with NGO Yedidim USA in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Yair Netanyahu was sued by political activist Dana Cassidy in 2020 after he alleged in an online post that she was in a relationship with politician Benny Gantz, who was running against his father for prime minister.
A court ordered him to pay Ms Cassidy $34,000 in compensation and $6,000 in legal costs.
