The son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under fire for remaining in Miami while reservists came home to combat Hamas.
Yair Netanyahu, 32, has been in Florida since April after his father urged him to stop making provocative social media posts, which resulted in many defamation lawsuits.
Around 360,000 reservists have been called up, with many abandoning their lives to return to Israel to battle Hamas.
However, Yair has remained in Miami, much to the chagrin of several troops. ‘Yair is having a good time on Miami Beach while I’m on the front lines,’ one volunteer soldier serving on Israel’s northern front told The Times.
‘It is us who are leaving our jobs, our homes, and our children to safeguard our families and the country, not the individuals who are to blame for this crisis.
‘Our brothers, fathers, and kids are all heading to the battle lines, but Yair is still missing. It does not help to establish trust in the country’s leadership.’
‘I’ve flown back from the States where I have a job, a life, and my family,’ said another soldier stationed near the Gaza border.
‘There is no way I can stay and abandon my country and people at this vital juncture. What happened to the prime minister’s son? Why is he not in Israel?
‘It is the most unifying moment in Israeli history, and every single one of us, including the prime minister’s son, should be here right now.’
Yair, who studied theater in high school, served in the Israeli Defense Forces’ spokesman’s unit rather than as a combat soldier.
When they reach the age of 18, the majority of Israelis are required to serve in the military. Men must serve 32 months, while women must serve 24.
Following that, the majority of them can be called up to reserve units until the age of 40, or even longer, in the event of a national emergency, and they fight alongside regular troops in times of war.
