In the run-up to the original June date, the area around Ronit Farm bustled with activity. Trucks and cranes erected fencing and barriers hundreds of meters from the site, nearby residents were warned of road closures, and Israel’s Airports Authority announced a temporary no-fly zone. Security forces were placed on alert.
This weekend, however, the site was quiet. No fences had gone up, no airspace closure was declared and residents received no new traffic advisories.
At the time of the original wedding date, large protests had been planned to disrupt access to the event, part of continuing demonstrations against Netanyahu’s government. Last week, another call went out for protesters to gather Sunday, but it was not repeated, and no signs of mobilization emerged.
“Last time, we felt there would be a heavily secured wedding that would disrupt our lives with checkpoints, roadblocks and a heavy police presence,” said residents of nearby villages. “Now, there’s nothing. We read there may be a small, intimate wedding with just a few guests. Maybe that’s why there’s no large-scale security buildup like in June.”
2 View gallery
Security preparations for Avner Netanyahu’s wedding at Ronit Farm
(Photo: Yariv Katz)
Another possibility is that the wedding has been moved to a different location, unannounced.
Ronit Farm is near the small communities of Harutzim, Bnei Zion and Batzra. In June, residents were advised to consider working from home if they feared road closures, and several tech companies, including Hot Telecommunications, told employees to prepare accordingly. No such notices have been issued this time.
The wedding was originally planned for November 26, 2024, but was delayed to the summer due to scheduling conflicts. After the outbreak of hostilities with Iran, it was postponed again. The high-profile event was expected to host several hundred guests, but without government officials, and conducted under strict secrecy agreements signed by vendors and staff.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Avner Netanyahu and Amit Yardeni will exchange vows on Sunday — or at all in the coming weeks.
