Yachimovich declines luxury car, again

Opposition chairwoman favors Knesset members' Mazda vehicle over Audi A6, hires female driver. 'The opposition and the public can be served very well even with a Mazda,' she says

Moran Azulay |Published: 05.07.13 , 07:37

Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) informed the Knesset on Monday that she was not interested in the armored A6 Audi car she is entitled to as part of her position, and asked to keep using the Mazda car given to her as a Knesset member.

This is the second time Yachimovich relinquishes a luxury car, which is said to cost around NIS 1.5 million (about $420,000). She did the same in the previous term, when she was appointed opposition chairwoman for a few weeks after Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz joined the Netanyahu government.

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"In general, elected representatives should live a normal life, and using luxury brands – especially at the expense of the public – is inappropriate," said Yachimovich, stressing that "the opposition and the public can be served very well even with a Mazda."

In another unusual decision, the opposition chairwoman followed in the footsteps of Health Minister Yael German (Yesh Atid ) and hired a female driver, 27-year-old Racheli Ben-Zur.

Ben-Zur, a personal trainer, served in the IDF as a Hummer driver. She met Yachimovich when she volunteered in the Labor Party's election campaign after years of social activity in her hometown of Netanya.