Israeli attorney general wants investigation into Sara Netanyahu

Israel's Attorney General has called for an investigation into the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The background to this is the suspicion that Sara Netanyahu is alleged to have obstructed the judiciary and influenced witnesses, several Israeli media outlets reported Thursday, citing the office of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Sara Netanyahu is alleged to have instructed demonstrators to harass the house of an important witness in the criminal case against her husband. The witness filed a complaint against Mrs Netanyahu.

A television report by the Israeli channel Channel 12 recently published text messages between Sara Netanyahu and one of her husband's advisers who died last year, which are said to contain the accusations.

The prime minister has been on trial for corruption for more than four years.

Benjamin Netanyahu is charged with fraud, embezzlement and bribery. The accusations against him include that he granted the telecom giant Bezeq privileges when he was communications minister. He is also said to have accepted luxury gifts from billionaire friends.

The prime minister has always rejected the accusations and recently spoke of "a cruel witch hunt."