Barak? Peres? Beilin? Peres? Haim Ramon?

Our author states: "A hedonistic politician is one who adopts a living standard that is immeasurably higher than that of his voters and does not care at all how much it costs and who pays for it." Huh? Hedonistic politician? Where in the world did our author come up with this absurd definition? It makes no sense. Our author writes nonsense.

His writings become silly. They look like he just got the order from Olmert's people what to write. Soon he will be getting scripts from Olmert's office, typed. This becomes silly and laughable.

Netanyahu's trip to the UK was to defend Israel against the unrelenting assaults on Israel from the world of Antisemites and Islamist-Jihadists in the media, conferences and the world of public opinion. He is a true leader who defends Israel in the world of public opinion. The Leftists should be grateful for his contributions. Instead, they are trying to spew crap on him. Israel needs a strong and brilliant leader like Netanyahu to meet its mounting challenges. The Pendulum has swung to the Right. And this is good for the Right Wing Opposition Parties.

Dear Nauseum Barnea: drek in, drek out ..my you are holy. and this item is pure drek. The Labor party created the rich families early on by favoring them -Bibi did not. It seems Bibi is suing the channel for slander - he does not have to answer every public remark about him - This item is conjecture andpure crap !

There is no need for any particular politician to care since people vote for a party and its so-called platform. The Knesset, the government, and the courts are detached from the citizens.

nahum is ridiculous with his propaganda... Don t vote Netanyahou, he is intelligent, he earn money... Vote olmert... Don t vote Netanyahou his wife is ambitious and intelligent... Vote olmert... don t vote Bibi he is competent and a good economist... vote Olmert... dont vote Bibi he known how to speak with medias and give Israel a tribune...vote Olmert... dont vote Bibi he wants a real peace with security...vote Olmert... Don t vote Bibi he wants to keep the more possible of settlement... vote Olmert... Don t vote Bibi he has a military experience...vote Olmert... You have convinced me a lot nahum...

For those of us that seem to suffer from short term memory loss lets all think back to the dark days of BB and Sarah. And lets not forget MK Michael Eitan who seems to be on a planet of his own. Exaclty what did they offer us apart from nothing. Since then they brought us a sex offender from the ranks of the Likud for a president and several cases of corruption. Thankyou Mr BB lovely suit and you do great on chat shows but thats about all you ever deliver.

always ready nahum , yeah !

Is the article attacking Bibi? The oligarchs? Wealth? Or the structure of Israeli society? And what do the Israelis want? Do they want to live on kibbutzim and collectives and humbly work the land? Or to be successful in hi-tech, to travel the world and buy an apt in ramat aviv? It seems that the article is just another attack at Bibi, when in fact ther eare other politicains who are corrupt.

First of all, let me say from the onset, not only will I concede Mr. Barnea's point, Mr. Olmert is a hedonistic politician, I believe is also a very corrupt and an incredibly weak politician. That having been said, perhaps Netanyahu is less corrupt than Olmert or he is not corrupt but he is not much stronger a leader. A little perhaps, though not much. Netanyahu is plenty weak. He gave away plenty when he was prime minister. I think it is important for a leader to be prudent; to not set himself above the masses in ostentation. That's my personal opinion. It seems to me this only makes sense. A leader's life style is going to be scrutinized. It comes with the territory. These numbers, I cannot make any sense of them in American dollars. Can either of you translate these numbers into dollars; roughly? "According to the Channel 10 report, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, stayed in a luxurious London hotel for six and a half days, leaving a tab of NIS 131,000, which, the channel said, "is the equivalent of an average Israeli family's expenditure over a whole year." "The tab allegedly included the following expenses: NIS 12,000 a night for board at the hotel; a NIS 5,200 hotel bar tab; NIS 5,200 for laundry; 17,000 for hosting guests; a NIS 2,500 hairdressing bill, as well as other expenses amounting to NIS 7,000." What are these numbers in American dollars? Anyone?

I can't think of even one. I think this has been the case since the beginning of human history. So what is Nahum Barnea talking about? The issue is not how rich our politicians are, but how they earned their money, was it primarily because of political influence & favours, are they competant, do they have integrity, & are they real patriots looking out for the country more than themselves.

Hedonism is the philosophy that pleasure is the most important pursuit. The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" (Wikipedia). The Likud, if it has any aspirations of returning to power would do well in getting rid of its biggest liability: Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu! As Minister of Finance he caused more suffering than any of his predecessors to the lower income groups, the sick, the handicapped, the elderly and the Holocaust Survivors. Indeed, he did wonders for the Israeli economy and certainly the feathered the nests of many big businessmen. Bibi Netanyahu raised the pensionable age from 65 to 67 and thus hurt many who were planning their retirement. He reduced the State Pension as well which is based on money paid in by the people of the country. Bibi gave in at Wye Plantation and gave away Hebron which is the foundation stone of Judaism as well as being the resting places of our forefathers and their wives! This, if anything, proves that he is just as susceptible to pressure from Washington as all the others before him. Is this the man that the Likud think can win an election? I think not and it’s about time MK's Gidon Saar and Israel Katz started having a rethink about the man who is grinding the organ and makes them dance!

he spends more time overseas than he does here. What about his "peace" institute? Who finances it and why? Who gets paid there and why?

The security needed to protect him was paid by the Israeli govt so he could make his fortune. Your article is so slanted politically left its a joke, and its obvious. Typical israeli politics.

You're a lost cause.

we deserve our leaders for we elect the rotten bastards time and time again, forgetting and forgiving their nastiness

Does Moshe Feiglin live a lavish life style? Do you know? Does Netanyahu live an ostentatious, lavish lifestyle? Does it matter to you if a politician flaunts his wealth, even if earned honestly; as you say, in integrity? Do you care if a politician flaunts his or her wealth lavishly? Does it matter to you in Eilat?

He is a great ambassador for us! He knows how to talk and express just what he has to say in English. Which is much more than I can say for a lot of our politicians!!

in israel. we have plenty here, too. it's unfortunate for both israel and the usa. especially when these rotten apples are jewish.

Despite all of Israel's problems, there have been vast economic changes and income stratification. The skyline of Tel Aviv says it all - there is real money in Israel and for some small number the same lifestyle as the top of the line anywhere in the world-this isn't definitionally bad. for the country

Yaron Cohen AKA Dana International perhaps? That would suit you fine wouldn't it?

You and your left wing buddies in the media just hate Netanyahu and try to defame him every chance you get. All but a small amount of his exepenses were paid for by private supporters. So what.? As long as it wasn't my tax money I don't mind. The truth is that when Netanyahu was PM we had almost no terrorism. I remember one time there were threats from Kalkilya because of the Western Wall tunnel. I lived near there. I was away at the time, but my husband told me that he put tanks around that city, scared them a little and that was the end of it.

Well thanks for dispalying your hatred towards gay people although i think you will have to do a bit better than that, although maybe not a bad idea Dana as PM. At least by winning the eurovision she promoted Israel as a modern democratic society and not a land of hatred and intollernce as you seem to be keen to promote. Have a nice day and happy Purim

Come on. To influence people abroad one should not go dressed like a beggar staying at 3 star hotels. It is much more important to attack corruption and those who are corrupt and not those who are helping the country without taking money from the public funds.

mister,when my daughter went on a tour to europe she went to hotels and hostels,some were roaches infested and some were clean,you must be an idiot if you think that mr netanyahu should follow in my daughter's footsteps,and by the way,the honorable mr peres,does he sleep in a roach infested room?come on,your hatered of mr netanyahu does make you feel a little bit screwed up.admit it.