Israel’s attorney general ordered the police to open an investigation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuhis wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness at the Israeli leader’s corruption trial.

Israel’s Justice Ministry made the announcement in a brief message late Thursday, saying the investigation will focus on the findings of a recent report by the investigative program “Uvda” on Sarah Netanyahu.

The program uncovered scores of WhatsApp messages in which Ms. Netanyahu instructs a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial.

The statement did not mention Ms. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Department declined further comment.

But in a video released earlier Thursday, Netanyahu cited what he said were his wife’s many acts of kindness and charity and denounced Uvda’s account as a “lie.”

“My opponents from the left and in the media have found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife Sara,” he said. He called the program “false propaganda, nasty propaganda that tells lies from the dark.”

It was the last in a long series of legal problems for the Netanyahus – he pointed out the ongoing trial of the prime minister for corruption. The couple also had a rocky relationship with the Israeli media.

Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and bribery in a series of cases involving him exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and rich associates. Netanyahu denies the allegations and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media.

The report obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanna Bleiweiss, a former aide to the prime minister who died of cancer last year. The messages indicated that Sara Netanyahu incited the police to violent confrontations anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organize protests against her husband’s critics. She also told Bleiweiss to get activists in Netanyahu’s Likud party to publish attacks on Klein.

Klein is an assistant to Hollywood billionaire Arnon Milchan and testified in a corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Netanyahu for her boss.

According to the report, Sara Netanyahu harassed Bleiweiss, prompting her to share the messages with the reporter shortly before her death.

Sara Netanyahu has previously been accused of abusing her staff. This, along with accusations of excessive spending and use of public money because of her own extravagant personal taste, she earned the image of a person out of touch with everyday Israelis. In 2019, she was fined for misuse of state funds.

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, which oversees the police and has repeatedly said that Chief State Prosecutor Gali Baharav Miara should be fired because of a series of complaints against her, said the latest announcement was another reason for her dismissal.

“Someone who politically persecutes government ministers and their families cannot continue to hold the position of attorney general,” he said.

And Justice Minister Yariv Levin, another Netanyahu ally and critic of Baharav Miara, accused her of focusing on “television gossip.”

“Selective enforcement is a crime!” he said in a statement.