Did Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s son rename himself? ‘Yonatan Hun’ triggers tax confusion

A new report has sparked discussion after leaked records from the Israel Tax Authority suggested that Yair Netanyahu, the eldest son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has officially changed his legal name to “Yonatan Hun.”

The reported change appeared in tax-related documents, leading to questions about why the new name was adopted and what it means.

Did Yair Netanyahu officially change his name?

According to the leaked records, tax documents from late 2024 still listed his name as Yair Netanyahu, while documents from 2026 reportedly show the name Yonatan Hun under the same national identification number.

The documents also reportedly list his address as “Balfour 0,” which is widely seen as a symbolic reference to the Israeli Prime Minister’s official residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem.

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Why did he choose the name ‘Yonatan Hun’?

The new name appears to have a personal and family connection.

Yonatan is believed to honor Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu’s elder brother, who was killed while leading the famous 1976 Operation Entebbe hostage rescue mission.
Hun is linked to Yair Netanyahu’s maternal grandfather, Shmuel Ben-Artzi, whose family name before moving to Israel was reportedly Hun.

Reports also say that Yair had previously used similar versions of the surname on social media before officially registering the new name.

Can the name be changed again?

Under Israeli law, legal name changes are generally subject to certain restrictions. Reports claim that once a name is officially changed, it cannot normally be changed again for at least seven years, except in limited circumstances.

Why is the name change attracting attention?

The reported name change has generated debate because Yair Netanyahu has been living in Florida, United States, since late 2023. His move came during a period when Israel had called up a large number of military reservists, leading to criticism from some sections of the public.

According to the leaked records, he is registered with Israeli tax and social security authorities as a self-employed professional in the advertising sector. Reports also say he recently registered a lecture business in Connecticut.

Does the name change have financial implications?

Experts note that when close family members of senior political leaders legally change their names, financial institutions and regulators may update their records to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and transparency rules. However, there is no public evidence that the reported name change itself indicates any wrongdoing.

The reported change has nevertheless drawn attention because it involves the son of one of Israel’s most closely watched political figures.

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