The son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly officially changed his name to “Yonatan Hun” over the past year and a half.
The son of the Israeli Prime Minister takes on a new name – Yonatan Hun; records show name change and US connection (AFP, Instagram/@yair_netanyahu)
Israel Tax Authority documents show a name change while maintaining the same identification number, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Tax records reviewed by the newspaper show deduction certificates issued in December 2024 were signed in the name of “Yair Netanyahu.” Similar documents issued this year bore the name “Yonatan Hong” but contained the same identifying information, including the same taxpayer identification number and address information. Follow live updates on the war between the US and Iran
According to Israeli rules, an official name change recorded on a national ID card cannot be undone for seven years.
Tax and business accounting
Yair Netanyahu is listed by the Israel Tax Authority and the National Insurance Institute of Israel as self-employed in the advertising sector, Haaretz reports.
The Israeli newspaper report also said that while living in Florida, he registered a company in Connecticut with the stated purpose of holding lectures.
He also noted that the photos he shared on social media last week showed cosmetic procedures performed over the past year.
Family connection with a Hunnic surname
Yair Netanyahu has previously used the surname Hun on social media, calling himself “Yair Hun”. The surname has family roots: according to the report, Hun was the original surname of his grandfather Shmuel before it was changed to Ben-Artzi.
The newspaper also drew parallels with previous name changes in the Netanyahu family. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously used the name “Ben Nitai” during his stay in the United States in the 1980s.
Netanyahu said he adopted the name because he intended to settle in the United States and wanted a name that was easier to pronounce and more marketable, the report said.
My brother also changed his last name
Yair Netanyahu’s younger brother, Avner Netanyahu, also changed his name several years ago, taking on the name “Avi Segal.”
The report states that Avner purchased an apartment in Oxford, England for £502,000 under the name Avi Segal. The property was later put up for sale.
Seagal was reportedly the real surname of Tsilah, Benjamin Netanyahu’s mother and brothers’ grandmother, before her marriage to Benzion Netanyahu.
After details of the Oxford property purchase became known, Avner Netanyahu said the name change was motivated by security concerns related to his studies in England.
He argued that the change was intended to provide anonymity and reduce public scrutiny while living abroad.
The report notes that Western authorities are becoming increasingly cautious about the use of alternative names by relatives of prominent public figures, especially due to anti-money laundering rules introduced in recent decades.