Be’er Sheva, June 20, 2025 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn widespread criticism after referring to the postponement of his son’s wedding as a “personal loss” during wartime — remarks many Israelis have condemned as insensitive and tone-deaf.
Speaking outside the Soroka Medical Center, which had just suffered a missile strike by Iran, Netanyahu invoked the WWII Blitz to frame Israel’s current crisis. “We are going through a Blitz,” he said, emphasizing national endurance.
However, controversy erupted when he mentioned that his son Avner’s wedding had to be delayed a second time due to escalating conflict with Iran. He called the situation “painful” for both Avner’s fiancée and his wife Sara, whom he described as “a hero” for handling the emotional toll.
“There are people who were killed, families who grieved loved ones — I really appreciate that,” Netanyahu said. “Each of us bears a personal cost, and my family has not been exempt.”
Social media users, journalists, and political commentators were quick to react, accusing Netanyahu of equating personal inconvenience with national tragedy, especially when over 20 Israelis have died and hundreds injured in Iran’s latest barrage of drones and missiles.
Many criticized the timing and tone of the comment, particularly coming from a sitting prime minister during a high-casualty military conflict.
