Investigation Ordered After TV Report on Sara Netanyahu

Israel's attorney general has ordered an investigation of Sara Netanyahu, wife of the prime minister, on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in her husband's corruption trial. Gali Baharav-Miara provided little information in making the announcement late Thursday but said the investigation will focus on a report by a TV investigative program, Uvda, CNN reports. Benjamin Netanyahu released a video earlier in the day to counter the allegations.

In it, the prime minister described the program as "false propaganda, nasty propaganda that brings up lies from the darkness," per the AP. "My opponents on the left and in the media found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife, Sara," he said. The program obtained WhatsApp messages in which Sara Netanyahu appears to tell a former aide to organize protests against political foes and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a witness in her husband's trial on charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery. Allies of the prime minister also criticized the investigation order. "Selective enforcement is a crime," Justice Minister Yariv Levin said in a statement.