Avner Netanyahu, the 29-year-old youngest son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has ended his engagement to Amit Yardni after a tumultuous year marked by repeated postponements of their wedding and intensifying political controversy. The couple, who began dating in May 2022 and became engaged in July 2024, initially planned a November 2024 ceremony. That date was scrapped when war erupted on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. A second date, June 16, 2025, was set with great fanfare, but preparations were abruptly canceled just days before amid a sudden escalation following Israeli strikes.
The wedding was to take place at Ronit Farm, an exclusive event venue in the Sharon region. Fencing, traffic arrangements, and even temporary airspace restrictions were put in place ahead of the ceremony. But as regional hostilities flared, Israel’s Home Front Command ordered restrictions on large gatherings, forcing the event’s cancellation. Even before the cancellations, the couple’s plans had drawn controversy. Protest movements, under the banner “No Hostages – No Wedding”, vowed to demonstrate at the venue, accusing the Netanyahu family of insensitivity while dozens of Israeli hostages remained in captivity. Critics also questioned the optics of a lavish celebration during wartime hardships.
