"Netanyahu Faces Public Outrage Over 'Sacrifice' Remark on Son's Wedding Postponed by Iranian Attack"

Visited Hospital Hit by Missile, Calls It a "Personal Sacrifice"
Opposition Lawmaker Criticizes: "Netanyahu Is a Narcissist"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing strong criticism after referring to the postponement of his son's wedding due to an Iranian attack as a "sacrifice."

According to a report by The Guardian on June 19 (local time), the controversial remarks were made when Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, southern Israel, which suffered significant damage from Iran's missile attack. He referenced the Blitz during World War II, which resulted in over 43,000 civilian deaths in the United Kingdom, and said, "It reminds me of the British people during the air raids. We are experiencing air raids." He added, "There are people who have been killed and families who are grieving their losses."

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel. EPA, AP Yonhap News

Netanyahu went on to say, "Each of us is bearing a personal sacrifice, and my family was no exception," as he mentioned his son's wedding. He explained that this was the second time his son had canceled his wedding due to the missile threat, and described it as a personal sacrifice for his son's fianc?e as well. He also called his wife a hero for enduring her own personal sacrifice. Netanyahu's younger son, Avner, had postponed his wedding from November last year to June 16 this year, but it was postponed again for security reasons.

Once these remarks became public, a wave of criticism erupted in Israel. The Guardian pointed out that Netanyahu's comments "reinforced critics' claims that, after more than 17 years in power, he is increasingly disconnected from the daily reality and emotions of Israelis." Opposition lawmaker Gilad Kariv criticized Netanyahu, calling him a "borderless narcissist." He noted, "I know many families who will never be able to hold a wedding again, not just postpone one." He added that the true heroes are not Netanyahu's wife, but the doctors who leave home for night shifts and the teachers who continue remote classes without interruption.

Anat Angrest, whose son was taken hostage by Hamas in October 2023, also posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Our family has not overlooked that pain," and appealed, "I feel as if I have been trapped in a hellish underground prison in Gaza for 622 days."