The nation’s newspapers on Monday, 29 Kislev 5774 all carry the Prime Minister’s Office overdraft as a major story, highlighting excess spending to the tune of 1.1 million NIS. Supporters of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu feel this is nothing more than another case of the dual standard used by the media, which over the years has made a habit of hounding and seeking to discredit Netanyahu.

According to information obtained under the Freedom of Information Law, 3.3 million NIS was spent in 2012 in the prime minister’s homes. This refers to his primary home, the official prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem, as well as the Netanyahu’s private home in Caesarea. 2.9 million of the total figure was spent in the official residence and the remainder in Caesarea. The allocated budget is 2.2 million NIS.

Some of the expenses listed in the report:

(Amounts listed refer to cost per annum)

1. Scented candles 6,000 NIS

2. Mezuzos; 10,000 NIS

3. Water; 80,000 NIS

4. Gardening and landscaping: 142,000 NIS

5. Upkeep and cleaning service: 120,000 NIS

6. Flower arrangements: 95,000 NIS

7. Phone line: 30,000 NIS

8. Electricity: 26,000 NIS

It is pointed out that regarding the Caesarea estate, the prime minister was compelled to pay a 5,500 NIS surcharge for using more than the allotted amount of water during the drought period. The Prime Minister’s Office in response to the report, it is explained that the Netanyahus paid for the water for their pool on their own and it was not charged to taxpayers. The high water bill is explained as an accumulation from 2009-2011, and the bill does not reflect water charges for a single year.

It is also pointed out that the cost of security arrangements in Caesarea are due to the demands made by the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet), for while the prime minister and his family are generally in Yerushalayim, that home may not be left unattended and without security.

However, taxpayer were billed 10,000 NIS to change the cords of the trissim (vinyl Israeli shades) in the family’s Caesarea home along with a new refrigerator for 7,600 NIS.

The PMO’s began its response with a quote from Arik Einstein, the popular singer who recently died. Einstein was giving an interview to Yediot Achronot back in 1998, during which he pointed out that hounding, nitpicking and seeking to paint the Netanyahus in a bad light has reached unacceptable proportions, pointing out the level of hate against him and intrusion into their private affairs pales the imagination.

PMO officials add that expenditures in 2012 have dropped 16% compared to 2011.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)