Israel’s Prince Harry? Meet Benjamin Netanyahu’s son, Yair: Bibi’s boy sparked outrage by staying in a US$5,000-per-month Miami condo during the Israel-Gaza war – but what was that dog poop scandal?

Yair Netanyahu has courted controversy for as long as he has been in the public eye. Son to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and widely considered his father’s informal adviser, Yair has been thrust into the spotlight again for choosing to stay in Miami, US amid the Israel-Gaza war.

Yair Netanyahu, Israel’s controversial “playboy”

Yair, 32, is an outspoken and polarising figure in Israel. He is the first of two sons from Benjamin and his third wife, Sara. He is widely referred to as the “playboy” in the family. He reportedly studied theatre in high school and completed the compulsory national service in a spokesperson unit instead of a combat role.

He spent much of 2023 in the US, reportedly hoping to gain residency. He “fled” to Miami after his father disapproved of his social media posts, reported Asharq Al-Awsat.

Yair Netanyahu’s splashy Miami condo

New photographs published by British media in February show Yair on the balcony of a luxury condo in Miami in Florida, US, where he spent much of last year. The condo reportedly has tennis courts, a spa, game lounge, private cinema, cigar room and wine cellar. The condo has been widely reported as costing around US$5,000 per month in rent. Yair reportedly also has two bodyguards from Israel’s Shin Bet – the elite internal security service – protecting him.

In March last year, before the Israel-Gaza war began, a ministerial panel in Israel voted for the Shin Bet to protect the Netanyahu family. This was after Benjamin’s wife Sara was left vulnerable at a hair salon during political protests in the area, per Times of Israel.

Yair’s stay in Miami reportedly costs around 1 million Israeli shekels (US$275,000) per month.

The Israel-Gaza war controversy