Israel PM Netanyahu Tightens His Belt

After the storm of criticism whipped up by the expenses accumulated by the Prime Minister’s residence in 2012, the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday published figures that showed a reduction in expenditure last year.

In 2013, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent NIS 2.4 million, down from NIS 3.2 million the previous year.

The breakdown of 2013 report for the Prime Minister’s residence was as follows: NIS 246, 000 ($70, 000) on food and official hosting; NIS 866, 000 ($ 247, 500) on cleaning and manpower; NIS 78, 000 ($22, 000) on gardening; NIS 213, 000 ($60, 500) on maintenance. All these expenditures were lower than in 2012.

Expenditure on Netanyahu’s personal home in Caesarea (as opposed to the official residence in Jerusalem) was NIS 183, 000 ($52, 000) in 2013, sharply down from NIS 318, 000 ($91, 000) in 2012, and comparable with NIS 184, 000 ($52, 500) in 2011.

The only rise in expenses in 2013 was in operating the residence in Jerusalem with costs climbing from NIS 682, 000 ($195, 000)   in 2012 to NIS 824, 000 ($235, 000) last year. The Prime Minister’s office said that some of the 2013 expenses had been carried over from the previous year. In 2009 operations costs were just NIS 553, 000 ($158, 000).

In December, after a petition to the High Court of Justice by the Movement for the Freedom of Information, the full report of the prime minister’s expense for 2012 was published. These included NIS 95, 000 for flower arranging, NIS 6, 000 ($1, 715)  for scented candles, NIS 37, 300 ($10, 500)  for clothing, NIS 9, 800 ($2, 800)  for hairdressing, NIS 12, 440 ($3, 554)  for skincare and treatments, and NIS 4, 568  ($1, 300) for shoes.

The prime minister’s water bill for 2012 was NIS 80, 000, ($22, 800)  a large part of which was for the swimming pool in his Caesarea home.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com