Khaberni - An investigation by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed the details of the residences where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lived in recent years, shedding light on the extent of government spending associated with restoration, modernization, and additions that continued for years at more than one residential location.
According to the investigation, Netanyahu recently moved to a secret house, while "Balfour Palace" in Jerusalem was supposed to be the official residence of the Prime Minister, where he lived for many years. However, the building has been undergoing extensive restoration for 4 years, costing about 50 million shekels (about 16.7 million dollars).
The second residence is Netanyahu’s private home in Caesarea, where he used to stay during weekends. However, the house is also undergoing development and restoration works, including security improvements authorized after a Hezbollah attack, costing about 1.7 million shekels (about 570,000 dollars).
The newspaper added that the Caesarea villa has witnessed continuous construction and updating work over the past two years, including extensive landscaping projects, alongside insulation work for the swimming pool and other improvements within the property.
Millions of Shekels for Netanyahu's and His Family's Security
In light of the renovation works at "Balfour Palace", a third residence was approved - according to the investigation - which is Netanyahu’s two-story apartment on Gaza Street No. 35 in Jerusalem, yet Netanyahu does not live there either.
The investigation mentioned that although the building is old and slated for demolition as part of the Tama project, the state has recently spent vast sums on it, including 10 million shekels allocated for installing armored windows and a new roof, in addition to necessary reinforcement works due to the building's weight.
It indicated that public money also contributes to the costs of another private residence for Netanyahu, the house he inherited from his father on Haportsim Street, noting that hundreds of thousands of shekels of public money have been invested there in waterproofing works, window repairs, and many additions.
According to the investigation, the Prime Minister briefly lived in a fifth residence during the last term, which is the mansion of businessman Simon Valek in Jerusalem. However, when Netanyahu realized that he was violating the law in all respects—whether by receiving undue benefit or by employing staff of the Prime Minister's residence in a private building illegally—this chapter ended.
In the meantime, Netanyahu's government is pumping tens of millions of shekels of public money into the sixth residence of the Prime Minister, which is intended to be a complex within the government compound in Jerusalem.
The investigation also showed that embezzlement reached there too, where millions of shekels were invested in planning and infrastructure works, but the public security service (Shin Bet) intervened late and rejected the plan because the chosen site was exposed and vulnerable.
Beauty Salon and Toasted Bread
The investigation found that the Prime Minister has recently moved to a new state-funded residence in a luxurious residential building in Jerusalem, where celebrations continue in his seventh residence as well, where one of the apartments in the building has been converted into a beauty salon for him and his wife.
It explained that his son Yair Netanyahu returned from his exile in Florida earlier this year, and although he will turn 35 next month, it seems that he has returned to live with his parents, or at least he stays with them frequently.
According to testimonies collected by Haaretz, government employees occasionally provide toasted bread for him from the office kitchen of the Prime Minister.
How Does Netanyahu's Office Evade Revealing the Luxury Budget?
The newspaper says it is difficult to determine that amid the ongoing secrecy policy, especially since Netanyahu has surrounded himself with a cohort of insiders, both in the Prime Minister's office and in the public security service (Shin Bet).
It pointed out that last year, Netanyahu completed his control over the officials surrounding him following the retirement of Bernie Bergu and appointing his personal lawyer, Michael Rabello, as the State Comptroller.
Still, Haaretz points out that the evidence it collected—along with reports from auditors and previous press publications—allows presenting a general picture of the expenses that are close to 100 million shekels on renovating and planning the official residences, and tens of millions on private residences.
The newspaper noted that some of these exorbitant costs stem from security needs, as an approximate amount of 25 million shekels was invested in the house of the previous Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, although the similarities end there, as Netanyahu's money, extravagance, and greed—as apparent from his demands and his wife's—are unmatched, according to the newspaper.
Taxpayers' Money
The newspaper revealed that at the beginning of this month, just hours before a brief round of skirmishes with Iran, passersby in the streets of Jerusalem noticed Prime Minister's wife Sarah Netanyahu crossing the pedestrian crossing, accompanied by two security guards and her son Yair, carrying a white puppy.
It reported that this was not the first time they were seen there, an event which piqued the curiosity of the residents, confirming that its thorough investigation revealed that the Prime Minister and his family had moved to a new residence in recent months, while other residences remained vacant.
It adds that "This move was taken secretly, and it contradicts the decisions stipulated in the legislation, which allow the Prime Minister to receive funding for an official residence in Jerusalem, and to compensate related expenses in his private residence, as long as he conducts his work from there."
Regarding the financing of the new residence, spokespersons for the Prime Minister refused to provide any clarification, nor did they disclose whether Netanyahu finances the additional residence with his private money.
The newspaper said that staff from the official residence moved with Netanyahu to his secret house, noting that the rental of 4 apartments in the building is funded by taxpayers’ money, according to government officials and the building owner.
The owner said that the state pays the full rent, indicating that he does not know who uses the apartments, nor who resides in them, and it does not concern him.
"I cannot provide these details anyway, I work for the state, there were 4 apartments, and now there are 5, after they put a divider in one of them. I am not concerned," he added.
