MK Ibrahim Sarsur (Archives)
Photo: Ronen Boidik
MK Jamal Zahalka (Archives)
Photo: Gil Yohanan
MK Uri Ariel (Archives)
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
Report: Arab MKs 'biggest spenders' in Knesset
MKs Tibi, Zahalka spend most on cell phones while Barak, Lieberman scrimp on public communication
Arab MKs Ibrahim Sarsur (United Arab List-Ta'al )
and Jamal Zahalka (Balad)
were the highest spenders of the Knesset's public communication budget, according to a report released recently.
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Sarsur took the lead in public communication spending with a total expenditure of NIS 86,565 ($24,330), and Zahalka came in second with NIS 83,139 ($23,374). MK Uri Ariel (National Union) was a close third, with NIS 83,045 ($23,320).
According to the report, Sarsur spent NIS 36,266 ($10,202) on printing materials, NIS 18,108 ($5,093) on leasing a parliamentary office outside the Knesset and NIS 9,711 ($2,728) on cell phones and services. Zahalka spent more than NIS 20,000 ($5,618) on cell phone expenses and leasing a parliamentary office. He bought furniture for the facility for NIS 5,264 ($1,479), and a laptop for over NIS 10,000 ($2,810).
"All of the expenses were done legally, as per the instructions and guidelines of the Knesset," Sarsur's spokesman said. He noted that NIS 16,000 ($4,489) was a rollover from 2009's budget.
Meanwhile, Ariel spent roughly NIS 35,000 ($9,841) on leasing a parliamentary office and NIS 20,000 ($7,029) on professional counseling.
"We are making efforts to work very modestly, and thank God, we are successful," Ariel said. "I don't have a coffee maker, flat-screen televisions or other luxuries on my budget. We know very well where each shekel went, and we are certain that the community got it back tenfold."
Livni, Mofaz spend on counseling
The report also showed that MK Eli Aflalo (Kadima) paid more than NIS 5,000 ($1,405) on press clips, while MK Shai Hermesh (Kadima) spent more than NIS 7,000 ($1,967) on food and drinks for guests he entertained.
While she did not make the top ten list of spenders in the public communication category, Opposition chairwoman Tzipi Livni's expenditures reached as high as NIS 66, 487 ($18,655) in 2010. She spent 36,000 ($10,115) on professional counseling, NIS 6,000 ($1,685) on a laptop and NIS 4,000 ($1,123) on cell phones, among other expenses.
Livni's rival for Kadima leadership, MK Shaul Mofaz, spent as much as 41,700 ($11,710) on professional counseling over the past year.
The top spender on cell phone services was MK Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al), who paid NIS 51,094 ($14,343) on phones and related bills. Overall, Tibi was ninth on the public communication top-spender list.
MK Faina Kirshenbaum (Yisrael Beiteinu), who was eighth on the list, spent NIS 11,534 ($3,235) on a single survey.
The Knesset allocates NIS 80,000 annually to each MK for public communication. MKs who did not stay within the budget received permission to do so from the Knesset accountant.
Barak, Lieberman scrimp on communication
Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov and Minister Yossi Peled were the highest-spending ministers - they paid NIS 47,000 ($13,185) and NIS 45,000 (12,625) respectively on public communication.
On the other end of the spectrum, National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau spent NIS 15,000 ($4,208) to stay in touch with the voters, while Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin spent NIS 9,000 ($2,525) each.
Even lower on the list are Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Minister Benny Begin, all of whom did not spend a penny of the public communication budget last year.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent NIS 3,500 ($982) of the budget in 2010.
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