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PM spoke with freed Venezuelan prisoner

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Yaakov Harari, 72, freed from Venezuelan prison after over a year, as his daughters thanked Israel for his return.

PM's OfficePolitics

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke today with Yaakov Harari, who was released last night from his prison in Venezuela and landed in Israel a short while ago.

Yaakov, 72, was held for over a year by the Maduro regime along with dozens of other Western hostages.

Yaakov’s daughters, Yael and Yaara, also participated in the conversation.
They wished to express their appreciation to the State of Israel, the Prime Minister, the Jewish community in Caracas, and all the state’s envoys for their unceasing efforts to release their father from prison and bring him home.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Harari family and wished the family members and Yaakov good health, a speedy recovery, and a return to normal life after the nightmare they went through.

The Prime Minister expressed appreciation to the personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mossad, and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Gal Hirsch, for their work, and asked to thank the American administration, the German government, the Austrian government, and the Italian government for the assistance they provided to Israel in the process of bringing Yaakov back to the country.

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PM's Office
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Monday, 2 February 2026Updated continuously