TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli parliamentary committee on Thursday authorised new funding for Benjamin Netanyahu and his household, giving the prime minister a lift in private spending at a time when he’s going through mass protests over his insurance policies and because the financial system is on shaky floor.
The committee voted to approve public funds to cowl bills incurred by the Netanyahus at their non-public properties in Jerusalem and the unique seaside city of Caesarea, in addition to a rise of 1000’s of {dollars} a yr in clothes bills for each Netanyahu and his spouse, Sara.
The authorised funding is certain to compound what critics say is the Netanyahus’ fame for being out of contact with common Israelis.
“The shekel is crashing, traders are fleeing, rates of interest are hovering, tons of of 1000’s of residents can’t make ends meet however the finance committee authorised the Netanyahu household’s request to fund two residences on the expense of taxpayers,” the opposition Yesh Atid celebration mentioned.
“Another excuse Netanyahu is out of contact with the folks. Another excuse for preferring themselves at our expense,” it added.
Thursday’s improvement comes because the nation is deeply divided over a plan by Netanyahu’s authorities to overtake the judicial system and because the financial system faces new challenges, with inflation rising and the shekel weakening towards the greenback.
Main economists say the authorized modifications, which goal to weaken the authority of the Supreme Court docket, will exacerbate the nation’s financial issues by driving traders away.
The official prime minister’s residence is present process renovations. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett additionally confronted criticism for a pricy improve of his non-public house whereas the official residence was unavailable. Bennett mentioned the modifications had been required by safety officers and authorised by the nation’s legal professional common.
The Netanyahus have repeatedly been embroiled in scandals over their spending and costly tastes.
The prime minister has lengthy been saddled with a picture as a cigar-smoking, cognac-drinking socialite, whereas his spouse has come beneath scrutiny for alleged abusive habits towards employees.
Netanyahu is on trial for corruption, together with one affair through which he allegedly accepted champagne and cigars from rich associates. He was additionally lambasted for advancing a pricey plan to outfit a airplane for his official journeys.
The couple has come beneath hearth for spending at their properties previously. In 2015, Israel’s state comptroller, an official watchdog, cited massive sums of public cash spent on meals, furnishings, cleansing and gardening on the couple’s official and personal residences. It additionally mentioned they pocketed proceeds from recycling bottles that had been bought for entertaining official company.