Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received a total of 1,057 gifts since 2017, according to a list released Sunday by the Prime Minister’s Office in response to a freedom of information request.
The extensive list details gifts Netanyahu received during official visits over the past eight years and marks the first time the Prime Minister’s Office has agreed to publish such a comprehensive inventory. Previously, only partial disclosures had been made, with some information withheld during investigations involving Netanyahu.
The record also includes 193 gifts received by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and 23 gifts presented to his successor Yair Lapid.
Among the notable presents, on January 2, 2017, Netanyahu was given a large marble clock from the President of Kazakhstan. The clock was handed over to a custodian, meaning it was neither kept personally by Netanyahu nor redeemed. On the same day, Netanyahu received chocolate sculptures modeled after himself and his wife Sara, presented by Ambassador Sam Fox and his wife. The fate of the chocolates is listed as “state security,” with no further details.
Netanyahu’s then-senior advisor Yitzhak Molcho received several gifts from the Russian ambassador, including a bottle of luxury Moët champagne, a box of chocolates, a bottle of Beluga vodka, a wooden box with artwork and a bonbon box. These were also transferred to a custodian. The following day, Netanyahu received a brown vase in a wooden box from the Japanese ambassador.
Other gifts include cigar packages from leaders in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Jamaica; an oil painting of a woman’s profile from Togo’s foreign minister; a silver Buddha statue adorned with colored stones; and various items from Australia such as a gold bracelet with a pearl, a floral brooch, a decorated plate, and a leather document case.
Additional notable gifts were a package of wine, olive oil and spreads from the Samaria Regional Council; a white vase from China’s deputy prime minister; a wooden Chinese temple from the President of China; a small red, white, and black rug from the President of Kurdistan; and a marble sculpture of two pigs from the Governor of Quebec—despite pigs being considered an inappropriate gift in Israel.
Other items include coffee and honey from Liberia’s president and first lady; a stone mezuzah from the Yesha Council; a glass and metal box of cigars and sports equipment from American generals; a silver plate from Greece’s prime minister; and a shofar given at a 40th-anniversary event in Katzrin.
The commander of the Egyptian Air Force gifted a chess set with Egyptian figures, a statue of a pharaoh’s wife, jewelry boxes and a drinking set. The President of France gave matching silver sculptures, while the governor of Iowa presented a small wooden clock. Netanyahu also received a pen from the French brand Dupont.
At a Jerusalem Independence Day event, then-Ambassador David Friedman presented Netanyahu with a grooming set. Other gifts included pens from Italy and sculptures from African parliamentary leaders, a robot from Japan’s foreign minister and a silvered ship model from Oman.
During a 2018 visit to India, Netanyahu received a variety of gifts including golden sculptures, statues, books, framed pictures and rugs.
In 2019, gifts included cufflinks with green stones from Guatemala’s and Cyprus’s presidents; gold jewelry from an undisclosed source via the National Security Council; champagne, liquor and wine sets from Moldova; and a mask from Gabon’s president.
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In June 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump gifted Netanyahu a dove statue and a photo of the “Beresheet” spacecraft launch. Other gifts included kosher salami from Orthodox communities, a cream-colored shirt from Ethiopia and a traditional Indian scarf from Guatemala City’s mayor.
Netanyahu also received a sword bearing the IDF emblem from then-Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi; multiple luxury drinks from the Russian ambassador; and cigar boxes, cufflinks and a necklace with red stones from an Egyptian general.