Opinion
Lavishness and insolence
Yigal Sarna
Published: 05.12.13, 10:22
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1. Easy.
Jules   (12.05.13)
Ban "Shalom Ahshav", "B'Tselem", etc. - they are hostile foreign agents anyway. Their bank accounts, when confiscated, will serve the country very well.
2. Here is Bibi's new budget
Dan   (12.05.13)
1 official residence: free Other residences: nothing Bodyguards: always (until unelected) Ice cream: nothing Overseas travel: official business: free Overseas travel: private: nothing Clothing: PM: 2 sets of clothes per year Clothing: PM's spouse: nothing Phones etc: official: free Phones etc: private: nothing
3. Every word true!
Mike ,   Tel Aviv   (12.05.13)
Despicable insolence indeed. Their behavior is selfish, obscene, disgusting and unforgivable.
4. What a stupid oped
Dagan ,   Israel   (12.05.13)
He's the god damn Prime Minister, do you seriously think the entire middle class is suffering from Netanyahu's income? What, if he lowered it by some five thousand NIS, is it going to be distributed to all of Israeli society? Perhaps government workers will be payed more? Why in the world is the personal life of Netanyahu so damn publicized?
5. #4 There was once a Prime Minister called Menachem Begin
frauss ,   Jerusalem   (12.05.13)
He had no use for lavishness and a large personal budget. He got the job done too.
6. Get real...grow up for heavens sake
Al   (12.05.13)
The guy is the PM of the country. People visit from all over the world. What do you want him to do? Would you like him to provide his guests the luxury of a refet? So he likes to light up a cigar...So what! So he eats fattening ice cream... So what! Grow up and stop making mountains out of mole hills. You may not like him, so vote him out of office. I don't like him for various reasons but he is our PM. Please stop the charade outrage and pretense. You sound childish.
7. I disagree with this article
BRL ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (12.05.13)
As lavish as the PM's residents all sound, in the end of the day i was more embarrassed to find out what his salary is (something like NIS 35,000). Its pathetic for someone who probably has the toughest PM job in the world. So adding all of these expenses probably puts his earnings into a realm slightly more fit for the job that he has.
8. obama's worse by far.....
BUILD BABY BUILD ,   United States   (12.05.13)
Ask obama how he became a multi millionaire since he's been President? ( not mentioning his record of the 'ruination' of America with scandals d' jour, and corruption never matched prior in our US history.) Bibi looks like a boy scout. JUST KEEP BUILDING THE REST DOESN'T MATTER !!!
9. #5 Leave the hypocrisy and populism aside
Ehud   (12.05.13)
I would have preferred Begin having not gotten us into the Lebanon I war and almost 20 years of quagmire, but living in a big house instead of the thousands of casualties and wounded, but he humbly living in a small apartment. It would not only have saved lives, but also been cheaper! Netanyahu managed to keep Israel out of any unnecessary war in more than 8 years of his premiership. Consequently, much more money was left available for education and infrastructure. In fact, that makes him probably one of the PMs which saved 'the middle class' tons of money. The French president lives in a palace, all his expenses are covered. All PMs and presidents of democratic countries - big and small - provide a disproportionally larger coverage to their leaders, including provision of dedicated airplanes . Only in Israel drives the populistic tone its 90 year old president to take an Arkia plane with 1 stop landing in Budapest on his way to Paris instead of flying ELAL First class. Only in Israel people think about how much money the PM's wife spends on candles rather than how many billions are wasted by the PM. Would the press focus on the more important question, it would come to the conclusion that Netanyahu is the one saving everybody's money, certainly not Begin!
10. envy
(12.05.13)
sounds like envy . maybe run for PM
11. More info, please.
Sherlock Holmes ,   London England   (12.05.13)
Does the Govt publish the amounts spent on the three houses? Are the houses owned by the Govt or by the PM? In England the PM gets a house in London [10 Downing Street] and a country house [Chequers], but the houses belong to the state, the same as Buck House and Windsor Castle are state property.
12. # 4 # 6 # 7 Agreed
BUILD BABY BUILD ,   United States   (12.05.13)
Bibi is the PM of Israel and as the representative of Israel and the Jewish Homeland, and therefore must be shown in her finest light,( as do all nations ) despite the awful cost of her security that bully obama and his compromising of Israel's security, growth, and very future to shore up his beloved pals, is costing Israel. It's a small part of a larger picture.. Success, comfort and putting visitors at ease visitors who expect an attractive place when visiting with Israel's PM and Israel. This is not the day of the horse and buggy, it's just a part of 'doing business." Bibi, I must say, earns it.. obama, not so much KEEP BUILDING !!!!
13. "Let them eat cake"
SDB ,   Zichron Yaakov   (12.05.13)
14. Both lack ANY SELF RESPECT at all
Mendoza ,   Tel-Aviv, Israel   (12.05.13)
15. Lavishness and insolence
SjiJ ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (12.05.13)
The regular citizens of Israel should not have to support the greed of those "at the top" , you are right. Well written and well said, Yigal!
16. Menachem Begin's was a simple, almost austere lifestyle.
Steve Klein   (12.05.13)
17. #16, Begin also had 400% inflation, how was this better?
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (12.05.13)
18. Reply to 4
JGedalov ,   Israel   (12.05.13)
He must understand that his private house in Caesarea is not Camp David! is obsessive about Iran enriching uranium, nuclear reactors or whatever? Find a therapist, the public perceived as suspicious activity a prime Minister spending more than 140,000 shekels in gardening and according to jpost 95,000 in flowers. Do you think that attitude is intelligent?
19. #7, I totality agree with you
arne ,   chicago usa   (12.05.13)
The article is stupid. He's worth every nickel. I hope he stays healthy and can continue--the guy's terrific.
20. So what if he's the PM
Yossi ,   Israel   (12.05.13)
.are we as the jewish people and the jewish land really in such a great position to pay for his lavishness????????????? We have had other PM's with much less expenditure's. Oh, of course I have no need to remind you folks about the "double bed suite on a jet" incident.
21. good article... Bibi: once a hypocrite, always a...
Rafi ,   US   (12.05.13)
22. OpED on Netanyahu's
John S ,   Mansfield USA   (12.05.13)
Nation leaders are not to be expected to live like paupers. Also, Netanyahu has a long way to go to catch up with Obama in spending the country's cash.
23. Golda Meir invited presidents..
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (12.05.13)
in her kitchen.
24. How fast we forgot...
Israelit ,   Israel   (12.05.13)
Netanyahu was a bad prime minister the first time around. He's another recycled politician who managed to fool his country a second time around. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'm proud to say Bibi never got my vote.
25. This is nothing more but a cheap attempt to
shadoil79 ,   Jerusalem   (12.05.13)
a political lynching. So vote him out if you dont like it and see what the other A&&hoלs do too.
26. Twisting facts to make a sensationalist story
Zionist forever   (12.05.13)
Bibi is the PM not an ordinary Israeli and it is the right of the PM to live in either the official residence or their private home. Even if the PM ( all PMs ) chooses to live in the PM residence rather than their private home the state would still be obligated to fund the upkeep of their home. This whole article is based on an official report listing expenses and it's been twisted to make something out of nothing. Bibi doesn't even know what things cost. He tells his secretary he wants something and it's arranged he doesn't ask the price and nobody tells him and first thing he knows about it is when he is being criticised by the media for something like the bed on the plane.
27. Zeu,
JGedalov   (12.05.13)
To criticize Netanyahu's is a waist of time
28. #24 who'd you vote for?
arne ,   chicago usa   (12.05.13)
or didn't you vote at all.
29. Try shouldering his responsibility
Barney ,   USA   (12.06.13)
I believe the head of state in every country enjoys certain luxuries and is entitled to them. He is not having solid gold automobiles and bathroom fixtures yachts etc as in some countries.
30. Outrageous
Rafi ,   Israel   (12.06.13)
And I suppose if he had a villa in the south of France we'd be expected to foot the bill for that too. Enough is enough! He has the official residence. Let him move his whole family there. But we should not have to pay for his private HOUSES! Our taxes go up and up, and they live like kings.
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