James Packer: My friendship with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu is ‘stronger than ever’

James Packer says his friendship with Israel’s Prime Minister is “stronger than ever” after the pair dined together during Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington DC.

Mr Packer had been estranged from the Israeli leader who is facing trial over gifts he received from the Australian billionaire and other wealthy supporters.

Mr Packer had previously expressed hope that he’d be able to rekindle his friendship and that took place in Washington DC last week, when Mr Netanyahu visited and addressed Congress. He also met President Joe Biden and the presumptive Democrat nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of hosting a Seder dinner on Friday for around 30 guests..

In exclusive comments to The Nightly, Mr Packer confirmed he attended an intimate dinner with the Israeli Prime Minister and his wife and eldest son.

“Yes I shared Shabbat with the Prime Minister, Sara, Yair and some of their friends, it was a special night and our friendship is stronger than ever,” he said.

Mr Packer was also a surprise guest of honour at Mr Netanyahu’s address to Congress.

It is the first time they have reunited in eight years after Mr Netanyahu was advised to stop spending time with the Australian billionaire after a corruption investigation into gifts he received from Mr Packer.

The trial into the gifts affair is still ongoing after being delayed by the pandemic and Israel’s war with Hamas. Mr Packer is not accused of any wrongdoing.

In 2015, Mr Packer was also one of Mr Netanyahu’s star invites to his speech to Congress.

Mr Packer has lived in Israel over the years and owns a beachfront mansion that neighbours the Netanyahu family’s compound.

Earlier this year, he told The Nightly in an exclusive and wide-ranging interview that he had hoped to rekindle his friendship with Bibi — the nickname for Mr Netanyahu.

At the time he doubted Bibi would remain as Prime Minister.

“He’s obviously got to take some of the blame for security failures that occurred,” Mr Packer said, in relation to the October 7 attacks.

“I doubt he will be prime minister a year from now, but I hope to rekindle my friendship with him in the future.”

Mr Netanyahu returned to Israel from the US earlier than planned on the weekend to deal with Hezbollah’s rocket attack that killed 12 children playing soccer in the occupied Golan Heights, which Israel took from Syria in the 1967 six-day war.

Mr Netanyahu also met Mr Trump at his Mar-a-Lago golf club last Friday during his US visit.

This was significant because Mr Trump, the Republican Presidential candidate, has been a public critic of the Israeli Prime Minister’s leadership and management of the war in Gaza.