Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a guest on media personality Avi Shoshan's podcast, and in a rare guest appearance, he responded when asked about his relationship with his daughter Noa Roth - who has converted and lives in the Mea Shearim neighborhood.
Over the years, rumors have spread about a complete disconnect between the two, but Netanyahu unequivocally denied the allegations in the conversation and made it clear that they are in contact.
When asked if he was in contact with his daughter, he briefly replied "yes," and detailed that he last spoke with her a few weeks ago. Netanyahu added that the two meet "from time to time" and even celebrate holidays together, in accordance with security constraints and his busy schedule.
When asked whether his Haredi grandchildren even know him as their grandfather, he answered in the affirmative, clarifying that they meet him in family circumstances.
In response to the question of why the media presents a completely opposite picture of alienation and disconnection, the Prime Minister attacked: "I cannot be responsible for all the lies that are preached against me. This is simply an industry of lies.".
Later in the interview, Netanyahu also addressed his daughter's process of conversion. "It's a process I knew about. It's her choice, of course it's good for her. She wouldn't have done it if it wasn't good for her.".
When asked why he preferred not to talk about her publicly all these years, Netanyahu explained that it was her explicit request: "It's her choice to maintain her privacy. Families have this choice. It's not that my sons want me to talk about them, but the media is obsessed with them and then you have to protect them as much as possible, and that's really not easy.".
Four years ago, Noa, now 48, gave birth to her fifth son, Nathan. Noa is the daughter of Miki Haran, Netanyahu's first wife.
She is married to Danny Roth - and the family lives in the Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem. Their children are educated at the Darchei Shmuel Talmud Torah and the educational institutions of the Jerusalem faction.
Netanyahu then posted a Mazal Tov greeting on his Twitter account: "Congratulations to my daughter Noa and her husband Danny on the birth of their son! May they be blessed with raising him according to Torah and mitzvot, happiness and health. Best wishes - Sarah and Bibi, Yair and Avner.".
At the wedding for his second grandson, which was held about 16 years ago, the grandfather - the Prime Minister - was honored with a "standing godfather," meaning holding the baby while reciting the blessings and calling his name.
10 years ago, a memorial service was held at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in memory of Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu, 40 years since his fall in Operation Entebbe. Among those present at the family portion of the memorial service was Noa Roth, who came with her husband and family – including their new baby.
""The prime minister held the baby in his arms with pride," one of those present told Haredim 10 at the time. "While the older children jumped on Sarah and hugged her. The media likes to present the relationship between the families as a disconnect, but anyone who knows her knows that this is absolutely not true.".
Among those attending the memorial service were Rabbi David Nachshon and Sayeret Matkal graduate Shmarya Harel, both Chabad Hasidim from Nazareth Illit, who are friends with the prime minister. Harel served under Yoni the Fourth.
When Noa arrived with her ultra-Orthodox son, Nachshon turned to her: "Hello, how are you?" And then he said to her husband Daniel: "This is the soldier in the armies of God. Do you know that your wife was a soldier in the armies of God for several years?!""
