Who Is Sara Netanyahu? The Israeli PM’s wife who welcomed PM Modi in Tel Aviv

• PM Modi welcomed by Netanyahu and wife in Tel Aviv
• Sara Netanyahu is a child psychologist and Netanyahu's third wife
• Sara has been investigated multiple times, including for corruption.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, was welcomed by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport.

This reflected the close personal rapport shared by the two leaders. The two Prime Ministers exchanged a warm hug upon arrival.

Sara’s position as the prime minister’s spouse is not an official government office, but she is often a visible figure alongside her husband at official events and international visits.

She has also frequently drawn media attention over the years, including reports alleging her involvement in the political affairs of the Israeli Prime Minister.

The Israeli PM often uses the phrase “my wife and I” in official statements, a formulation that has reinforced Sara’s visible presence in public life.

Welcome to Israel my dear friend @narendramodi 🇮🇱🙏🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/AnRtceD9Ci

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 25, 2026

However, Netanyahu has always denied that Sara was involved in Israeli public affairs, describing her as a "real heroine" who was "a punching bag for the media".

Who is Sara Netanyahu?

Netanyahu's third wife and the mother of two of his children, Sara was born in November 1958 in the northern Israeli town of Tivon, near Haifa.

Sara is the daughter of the late Chava and Shmuel Ben-Artzi, a poet, writer and noted educator who was regarded as one of Israel’s veteran teachers. She has three brothers — Matanya, a mathematics professor; Hagi, a Doctor of Philosophy; and Amatzia, a hi-tech entrepreneur — all of whom were champions of the Israel Bible Quiz.

Professionally, she is a trained child psychologist and has worked with the Jerusalem Municipality’s Psychological Service.

She was married to a member of a kibbutz between 1980-1987 and met Netanyahu while working as an air stewardess for the Israeli flag carrier El Al after her divorce.

Sara has been the subject of several investigations, including corruption, fraud and breach of trust.

In February, the police opened a criminal investigation into Sara over allegations she sought to intimidate a witness and interfere in the corruption case against her husband.