16 feb 2013
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Netanyahu requests and receives special budget from State for frozen dessert from his favorite ice cream parlor. Following revelation, he decides to terminate agreement with store
VIDEO - Israel's prime minister, it appears, is a real ice cream lover. That must be the reason why the Netanyahu family requested – and received – a special annual budget of NIS 10,000 (about $2,700) for the frozen dessert. The Calcalist financial daily reported Thursday that in the past year, Benjamin Netanyahu asked the staff at his official residence to purchase his ice cream at the nearby "Metudela" ice cream parlor in Jerusalem. |
One tasting led to another, and Netanyahu quickly became a fan of the store's pistachio and vanilla flavors.
Although the section in the state budget relating to the maintenance of the prime minister's residence does not include an ice cream clause, the Prime Minister's Office staff managed to get the approval of the office's Deputy Director-General Ran Yishai for an allotment of NIS 10,000 for that purpose.
And how much ice cream can one buy for NIS 10,000 a year? The price of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of ice cream at Netanyahu's favorite store is about NIS 60 ($16), meaning that the budget allows the prime minister and his family to purchase about 14 kg (31 pounds) of ice cream a month. Another problem the office's staff managed to overcome has to do with the fact that service provider to the prime minister's official residence must be selected through a bid.
As Netanyahu asked for ice cream from a specific store, which "corresponds to his personal taste," according to the request submitted, the governmental tender board exempt the store from entering a bid. Ice cream is not the only thing the Netanyahu family spends quite a lot of money on. In 2011, Israeli taxpayers paid some NIS 2.46 million ($670,000) for the routine maintenance of the prime minister's residence, including cleaning, clothing and food.
In 2010, the Netanyahus spent NIS 710,000 ($193,000) on cleaning services, NIS 263,000 ($71,500) on food, NIS 70,000 ($19,000) on take out, and NIS 50,000 ($13,500) on clothing.
Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich commented on the Calcalist report on her Facebook page Thursday: "Hi, it's Shelly. If there's no bread, let them eat ice cream. Should we laugh or cry?" Following the report, Netanyahu declared that he would terminate the agreement with the ice cream parlor without delay. "It's an unreasonable expense which I find totally unacceptable," he said.
Although the section in the state budget relating to the maintenance of the prime minister's residence does not include an ice cream clause, the Prime Minister's Office staff managed to get the approval of the office's Deputy Director-General Ran Yishai for an allotment of NIS 10,000 for that purpose.
And how much ice cream can one buy for NIS 10,000 a year? The price of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of ice cream at Netanyahu's favorite store is about NIS 60 ($16), meaning that the budget allows the prime minister and his family to purchase about 14 kg (31 pounds) of ice cream a month. Another problem the office's staff managed to overcome has to do with the fact that service provider to the prime minister's official residence must be selected through a bid.
As Netanyahu asked for ice cream from a specific store, which "corresponds to his personal taste," according to the request submitted, the governmental tender board exempt the store from entering a bid. Ice cream is not the only thing the Netanyahu family spends quite a lot of money on. In 2011, Israeli taxpayers paid some NIS 2.46 million ($670,000) for the routine maintenance of the prime minister's residence, including cleaning, clothing and food.
In 2010, the Netanyahus spent NIS 710,000 ($193,000) on cleaning services, NIS 263,000 ($71,500) on food, NIS 70,000 ($19,000) on take out, and NIS 50,000 ($13,500) on clothing.
Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich commented on the Calcalist report on her Facebook page Thursday: "Hi, it's Shelly. If there's no bread, let them eat ice cream. Should we laugh or cry?" Following the report, Netanyahu declared that he would terminate the agreement with the ice cream parlor without delay. "It's an unreasonable expense which I find totally unacceptable," he said.
12 jan 2013
Most expensive laundromat was chosen since 'family members were not pleased with other options'; flower arrangements amount to NIS 20,000, water bills reach NIS 80,000
Following a petition filed by the Movement for Freedom of Information to receive information on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence budget, an expenses report was released Sunday, revealing operative costs in 2012 – complementing a similar report released six months ago.
Among the data published, it is revealed that almost NIS 25,000 ($7,000) were spent on the Caesarea residence gardening, water bills reached NIS 80,000 ($23,000) for the same residence and flower arrangements amounted to NIS 20,000 ($5700) for the official premier residence.
According to the report, the official residence's total expenditure for 2012 stood at NIS 2.97 million ($840,000). The report further reads that in 2008, during former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's tenure, the official residence expenses amounted to NIS 1.62 million ($460,000). In addition, details regarding the expenses of the other homes belonging to the Israeli prime minister were provided:
Total expenditure for Netanyahu's home in Caesarea amounted to NIS 312,000 ($89,000), and the private home in Jerusalem's Gaza Street saw NIS 4,561 ($1,300) in cash spending. The official residence saw NIS 6,000 ($1700) in spending on scented candles.
The Caesarea home annual phone bill amounted to approximately NIS 30,000 ($8,500), and the water bill reached NIS 80,000 ($23,000) – probably mostly spent on the home-adjacent swimming pool.
Stationary bicycles for the Prime Minister Residence cost NIS 3,000 ($852), a pedometer was bought for NIS 250 ($71) and NIS 9,500 ($2,700) were spent on mezuzahs.
One of the report's addendums shows a contractual agreement with a laundromat, which states why Ezra Seidoff, a PMO official, chose the most expensive offer: "It may be the most expensive option of the three bids, however Mr. Seidoff reports that the family members attempted to work with other laundromats, yet they were not pleased with the service and some garments were damaged." In this case, the NIS 10,000 ($2,800) contract was granted.
'Residence serves for work'
The Prime Minister Office's response to the reports opened with a quote from an interview Arik Einstein gave to Yedioth Ahronoth from 1997: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is treated unfairly. He is really being abused and I am shocked from the levels of scorn and contempt exhibited towards him. How long can we such his blood?"
In a statement release alongside the report it was claimed that "in February 2012, a new SAP system to monitor financial procedures was implemented within the PMO and sweeping changes were carried out in work processes in this area, including wide-spread debt payments. Thus, 2012 is an exception in regards to cash payment and includes an expenditure of NIS 430,000 ($122,000) that causes an accounting distortion since this sum does not belong to the 2012 activity."
The statement further reads that "The official residence of the prime minister serves, among other things, as an additional working space in which many activities are held, including meetings and the hosting of various Israeli and foreign officials.
"Within the framework of the accounting system, we cannot perform a full separation of expenses between the residence's function as the prime minister and his family's private home and the special expenses for the residence as an official establishment. The expenses for the private home in Caesarea include, among other things, elements required for security that cannot be separated (from the total costs)."
Movement for Freedom of Information Director Attorney Alona Winograd said: "The information regarding the Prime Minister's Residence expenses does not reach the level of detail we expected. We hope that following this move, additional data will be provided proactively. "The Movement for Freedom of Information hopes that this information reaches public discourse and raises awareness for transparent conduct by public officials. This conduct includes detailing expenses, funded by the public, as well as publishing the schedules of those elected when they are on duty both in Israel and abroad."
Following a petition filed by the Movement for Freedom of Information to receive information on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence budget, an expenses report was released Sunday, revealing operative costs in 2012 – complementing a similar report released six months ago.
Among the data published, it is revealed that almost NIS 25,000 ($7,000) were spent on the Caesarea residence gardening, water bills reached NIS 80,000 ($23,000) for the same residence and flower arrangements amounted to NIS 20,000 ($5700) for the official premier residence.
According to the report, the official residence's total expenditure for 2012 stood at NIS 2.97 million ($840,000). The report further reads that in 2008, during former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's tenure, the official residence expenses amounted to NIS 1.62 million ($460,000). In addition, details regarding the expenses of the other homes belonging to the Israeli prime minister were provided:
Total expenditure for Netanyahu's home in Caesarea amounted to NIS 312,000 ($89,000), and the private home in Jerusalem's Gaza Street saw NIS 4,561 ($1,300) in cash spending. The official residence saw NIS 6,000 ($1700) in spending on scented candles.
The Caesarea home annual phone bill amounted to approximately NIS 30,000 ($8,500), and the water bill reached NIS 80,000 ($23,000) – probably mostly spent on the home-adjacent swimming pool.
Stationary bicycles for the Prime Minister Residence cost NIS 3,000 ($852), a pedometer was bought for NIS 250 ($71) and NIS 9,500 ($2,700) were spent on mezuzahs.
One of the report's addendums shows a contractual agreement with a laundromat, which states why Ezra Seidoff, a PMO official, chose the most expensive offer: "It may be the most expensive option of the three bids, however Mr. Seidoff reports that the family members attempted to work with other laundromats, yet they were not pleased with the service and some garments were damaged." In this case, the NIS 10,000 ($2,800) contract was granted.
'Residence serves for work'
The Prime Minister Office's response to the reports opened with a quote from an interview Arik Einstein gave to Yedioth Ahronoth from 1997: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is treated unfairly. He is really being abused and I am shocked from the levels of scorn and contempt exhibited towards him. How long can we such his blood?"
In a statement release alongside the report it was claimed that "in February 2012, a new SAP system to monitor financial procedures was implemented within the PMO and sweeping changes were carried out in work processes in this area, including wide-spread debt payments. Thus, 2012 is an exception in regards to cash payment and includes an expenditure of NIS 430,000 ($122,000) that causes an accounting distortion since this sum does not belong to the 2012 activity."
The statement further reads that "The official residence of the prime minister serves, among other things, as an additional working space in which many activities are held, including meetings and the hosting of various Israeli and foreign officials.
"Within the framework of the accounting system, we cannot perform a full separation of expenses between the residence's function as the prime minister and his family's private home and the special expenses for the residence as an official establishment. The expenses for the private home in Caesarea include, among other things, elements required for security that cannot be separated (from the total costs)."
Movement for Freedom of Information Director Attorney Alona Winograd said: "The information regarding the Prime Minister's Residence expenses does not reach the level of detail we expected. We hope that following this move, additional data will be provided proactively. "The Movement for Freedom of Information hopes that this information reaches public discourse and raises awareness for transparent conduct by public officials. This conduct includes detailing expenses, funded by the public, as well as publishing the schedules of those elected when they are on duty both in Israel and abroad."
6 jan 2013
No criminal investigation opened following initial police check; Justice Ministry confirms such investigation was underway last year, says police concluded that there wasn't enough evidence to warrant a criminal probe.
Police last year investigated an allegation that an Israeli businessman had passed a substantial sum of money to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via the latter's driver, but concluded that there wasn't enough evidence to warrant a criminal probe, the Justice Ministry confirmed Sunday night.
The ministry was responding to a Channel 10 report on the matter Sunday.
According to the report, businessman Dedi Graucher had passed on hundreds of thousands of shekels to Netanyahu.
According to the Justice Ministry, the information about Graucher was obtained during the comptroller's probe of what has come to be known as "Bibi Tours" - allegations Netanyahu had traveled at the expense of businessmen and donors, that some of his trips had been double-billed and that he had illegally obtained campaign funds.
"The state comptroller [former State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss] passed on this information [about Graucher] to the attorney general," the Justice Ministry said.
"Following the receipt of this information, and additional information subsequently obtained from the comptroller, the attorney general, in May 2012, instructed the police to examine the information and decide if there was an evidentiary basis to justify a criminal probe.
"The police opined that there was no evidentiary basis justifying the opening of a criminal investigation in this matter."
The police recommendation not to investigate further is now being evaluated by a special team in the State Prosecutor's Office. The team is headed by Uri Korb, who was the prosecutor in the cases brought against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, which included allegations that Olmert had double-billed trips he had taken abroad. Olmert was acquitted on those charges but the prosecution is appealing the verdict.
Netanyahu's attorneys, David Shimron and Michael Rabello, called the new reports "Baseless and false accusations that not by coincidence are coming to light two weeks before the election, in order to slander Mr. Netanyahu and harm of being reelected prime minister. The prime minister never took a penny from Mr. Dedi Graucher -- not directly, not through his driver and not in any other fashion."
Graucher's lawyer, Yaron Kostelitz, said, "Mr. Graucher gave a donation of several hundred shekels to the sister of a driver who worked with the prime minister for many years, who unfortunately was widowed and left to raise small children, just as he helps many people, and this had nothing to do with the prime minister, nor did he know about it. It's not for nothing that the police decided there was no basis for a criminal investigation."
Police last year investigated an allegation that an Israeli businessman had passed a substantial sum of money to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via the latter's driver, but concluded that there wasn't enough evidence to warrant a criminal probe, the Justice Ministry confirmed Sunday night.
The ministry was responding to a Channel 10 report on the matter Sunday.
According to the report, businessman Dedi Graucher had passed on hundreds of thousands of shekels to Netanyahu.
According to the Justice Ministry, the information about Graucher was obtained during the comptroller's probe of what has come to be known as "Bibi Tours" - allegations Netanyahu had traveled at the expense of businessmen and donors, that some of his trips had been double-billed and that he had illegally obtained campaign funds.
"The state comptroller [former State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss] passed on this information [about Graucher] to the attorney general," the Justice Ministry said.
"Following the receipt of this information, and additional information subsequently obtained from the comptroller, the attorney general, in May 2012, instructed the police to examine the information and decide if there was an evidentiary basis to justify a criminal probe.
"The police opined that there was no evidentiary basis justifying the opening of a criminal investigation in this matter."
The police recommendation not to investigate further is now being evaluated by a special team in the State Prosecutor's Office. The team is headed by Uri Korb, who was the prosecutor in the cases brought against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, which included allegations that Olmert had double-billed trips he had taken abroad. Olmert was acquitted on those charges but the prosecution is appealing the verdict.
Netanyahu's attorneys, David Shimron and Michael Rabello, called the new reports "Baseless and false accusations that not by coincidence are coming to light two weeks before the election, in order to slander Mr. Netanyahu and harm of being reelected prime minister. The prime minister never took a penny from Mr. Dedi Graucher -- not directly, not through his driver and not in any other fashion."
Graucher's lawyer, Yaron Kostelitz, said, "Mr. Graucher gave a donation of several hundred shekels to the sister of a driver who worked with the prime minister for many years, who unfortunately was widowed and left to raise small children, just as he helps many people, and this had nothing to do with the prime minister, nor did he know about it. It's not for nothing that the police decided there was no basis for a criminal investigation."
27 dec 2012
PM and some 30 ministers and deputy ministers received copies of draft report on their non-government financed travels abroad; examination was prompted by 'Bibi Tours' story aired by Channel 10.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some 30 ministers and deputy ministers received copies Thursday of the State Comptroller's draft report dealing with their non-government financed travels abroad.
A spokesperson from the State Comptroller's office said that the officials must respond to the draft report by the end of January. As for the travels of Netanyahu when he was an MK, the State Comptroller, Joseph Shapira, has requested the opinion of Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein as to his authority in the matter, and is expected to receive an answer within days.
The Comptroller's examination of non-government financed travels abroad was prompted by the "Bibi Tours" story aired by Channel 10. The draft report examines only travels by ministers and deputy ministers between 2003 and 2011, and each official received only the section of the draft dealing with his travels.
None of the ministers or deputy ministers asked by Haaretz, confirmed that they received the draft report.
Some of the ministers criticized the State Comptroller and accused him of publishing the draft "on the eve of the elections in order to damage Likud and Yisrael Beitienu ministers." One Likud minister said Thursday: "It seems that this State Comptroller, too, like his predecessor, seeks publicity at the expense of his professional integrity. The reports haven't reached the ministers yet, but the item already made its way to the media."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some 30 ministers and deputy ministers received copies Thursday of the State Comptroller's draft report dealing with their non-government financed travels abroad.
A spokesperson from the State Comptroller's office said that the officials must respond to the draft report by the end of January. As for the travels of Netanyahu when he was an MK, the State Comptroller, Joseph Shapira, has requested the opinion of Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein as to his authority in the matter, and is expected to receive an answer within days.
The Comptroller's examination of non-government financed travels abroad was prompted by the "Bibi Tours" story aired by Channel 10. The draft report examines only travels by ministers and deputy ministers between 2003 and 2011, and each official received only the section of the draft dealing with his travels.
None of the ministers or deputy ministers asked by Haaretz, confirmed that they received the draft report.
Some of the ministers criticized the State Comptroller and accused him of publishing the draft "on the eve of the elections in order to damage Likud and Yisrael Beitienu ministers." One Likud minister said Thursday: "It seems that this State Comptroller, too, like his predecessor, seeks publicity at the expense of his professional integrity. The reports haven't reached the ministers yet, but the item already made its way to the media."
30 oct 2012
Suits stemmed from two Channel 10 reports claiming Netanyahu's overseas trips, when he was leader of the opposition, were financed by wealthy donors.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Channel 10 have reached a deal to settle the libel suits the prime minister filed against the television station. The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court approved the settlement last week.
The suits stemmed from two separate reports by Channel 10 on alleged improprieties in the financing of Netanyahu's overseas trips during the years when he served as leader of the opposition. The reports said the trips were financed by wealthy businessmen and donors from abroad.
Under the settlement, reached through the mediation of former Supreme Court Justice Theodor Or, Netanyahu agreed to withdraw both suits. In exchange, Channel 10 acknowledged this as a generous gesture meant solely to spare the financially troubled station further difficulties at a time when its very survival is in doubt.
Channel 10, the agreement stated, asked the prime minister and his wife, Sara, "as a gesture not to proceed with the suits against it right now, but to withdraw them, out of consideration for the difficult situation of the media market in general, and of Channel 10 in particular, and in light of the severe economic difficulties in which Channel 10 is mired. The prime minister and his wife acceded to this request, and as a gesture to Channel 10, they hereby request to withdraw both suits."
However, the document continued, the Netanyahus reserve the right to refile should they see fit.
The agreement also includes a promise from Channel 10 regarding future coverage of the prime minister and his wife: "The defendants clarify that they will treat the Netanyahus in a fair and businesslike manner, in accordance with their policy toward the other people and organizations they cover."
In addition to the station itself, the other defendants were the head of its news company, Uri Rozen, its website Nana10 and reporter Raviv Drucker. The suits sought NIS 3.5 million in damages over the two reports, which aired in March and April 2011.
A separate libel suit filed by Sara Netanyahu against the daily Maariv and reporter Ben Caspit is still pending in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court. That suit is over Caspit's report that upon entering the prime minister's official residence, the Netanyahus fired the 70-year-old gardener - a claim they deny.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Channel 10 have reached a deal to settle the libel suits the prime minister filed against the television station. The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court approved the settlement last week.
The suits stemmed from two separate reports by Channel 10 on alleged improprieties in the financing of Netanyahu's overseas trips during the years when he served as leader of the opposition. The reports said the trips were financed by wealthy businessmen and donors from abroad.
Under the settlement, reached through the mediation of former Supreme Court Justice Theodor Or, Netanyahu agreed to withdraw both suits. In exchange, Channel 10 acknowledged this as a generous gesture meant solely to spare the financially troubled station further difficulties at a time when its very survival is in doubt.
Channel 10, the agreement stated, asked the prime minister and his wife, Sara, "as a gesture not to proceed with the suits against it right now, but to withdraw them, out of consideration for the difficult situation of the media market in general, and of Channel 10 in particular, and in light of the severe economic difficulties in which Channel 10 is mired. The prime minister and his wife acceded to this request, and as a gesture to Channel 10, they hereby request to withdraw both suits."
However, the document continued, the Netanyahus reserve the right to refile should they see fit.
The agreement also includes a promise from Channel 10 regarding future coverage of the prime minister and his wife: "The defendants clarify that they will treat the Netanyahus in a fair and businesslike manner, in accordance with their policy toward the other people and organizations they cover."
In addition to the station itself, the other defendants were the head of its news company, Uri Rozen, its website Nana10 and reporter Raviv Drucker. The suits sought NIS 3.5 million in damages over the two reports, which aired in March and April 2011.
A separate libel suit filed by Sara Netanyahu against the daily Maariv and reporter Ben Caspit is still pending in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court. That suit is over Caspit's report that upon entering the prime minister's official residence, the Netanyahus fired the 70-year-old gardener - a claim they deny.
12 sept 2012
Nahum Levy was hired to look into corruption charges against the prime minister.
The coalition's hand-picked state comptroller has decided to fire his office's chief investigator into corruption allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nahum Levy, a former police commander with long experience in conducting investigations, was hired by comptroller Joseph Shapira's predecessor, Micha Lindenstrauss, as his special adviser on corruption. For the past year, Levy has devoted most of his time to investigating the financing of overseas trips taken by Netanyahu and his wife Sara while Netanyahu was still an ordinary Knesset member, before he became prime minister in 2009 for the second time.
Levy even questioned Netanyahu twice about this funding, which allegedly came from businessmen and various organizations, and drafted a document saying the couple's behavior raised suspicions of improprieties. Now, however, he will be forced to vacate his post in another few weeks.
Levy's appointment as chief investigator in the case (popularly known as "Bibi Tours") upset the prime minister and his inner circle. A senior member of Netanyahu's Likud party even asked Lindenstrauss not to assign Levy to the case, on the grounds that over a decade ago, Levy served as head of the police team that investigated another case against Netanyahu.
In that case, which involved his first term as premier (1996-99 ), Netanyahu was suspected of having the Prime Minister's Office pay for work done by a contractor in his private home. Levy thought there was enough evidence to indict him, but then-Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein deemed the evidence insufficient and closed the case.
Shapira was elected state comptroller by the Knesset with strong backing from Netanyahu, whose decision stemmed in part from the recommendation of his personal lawyer, David Shimron. Before the vote, which pitted Shapira against former Supreme Court Justice Eliezer Rivlin, he met with Netanyahu twice at the prime minister's official residence in Jerusalem. The former district court judge also met with other politicians, including Shas party chairman Eli Yishai and Labor Party chairwoman Shelly Yacimovich.
But the new comptroller, who took office in July, doesn't think the support he received from Netanyahu should disqualify him from handling an investigation into the premier. "Given that the Knesset elected the comptroller with a majority of 68 Knesset members out of the 106 Knesset members present in the plenum, from the moment of that vote, there is no place to discuss disqualifying the comptroller," Shapira's office said in a statement.
A few weeks ago, Shapira hosted a discussion of the "Bibi Tours" case in his office. Immediately afterward, Tomer Zarchin reported in Haaretz that the comptroller was considering transferring to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin all the material about Netanyahu's trips, on the grounds that Netanyahu was an ordinary MK at the time, and the comptroller has no authority to deal with alleged improprieties by MKs; his authority only covers the executive branch. This was the legal argument put forth by Shimron, Netanyahu's attorney, and Shapira was apparently considering adopting it.
The Haaretz report sparked an outcry against Shapira, and critics accused him of serving the man who put him in office. In conversations with associates, Shapira rejected this claim. But he is still hesitating over what to do with this material.
In conversations with associates, Shapira said he decided to oust Levy partly because Levy's job is what is known as a position of trust - one that requires the holder to have the complete confidence of his superior - and Shapira would prefer someone else in this position. He also argued that politicians have largely ceased engaging in overt corruption, so he would rather focus his office's efforts on more complex and less visible corruption cases.
Finally, he denied any intent to close the "special assignments" unit that Lindenstrauss set up. This unit specialized in public corruption cases, such as excess salary payments at the Bank of Israel and the various cases against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
The comptroller's office reiterated this denial in an official statement. "Not only is the state comptroller not considering dismantling the special assignments unit, which deals, inter alia, with corruption and ethics cases, but he intends to strengthen the fight against these problems in the near future," it said. "The comptroller believes that activity by the State Comptroller's Office, the media and the general public has contributed greatly in recent years to exposing corruption and impropriety, such that today, there is a need to invest greater effort in uncovering acts of corruption and impropriety, which are becoming more sophisticated every day. Accordingly, we must strengthen the battle against corruption and impropriety by deploying our office suitably."
The coalition's hand-picked state comptroller has decided to fire his office's chief investigator into corruption allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nahum Levy, a former police commander with long experience in conducting investigations, was hired by comptroller Joseph Shapira's predecessor, Micha Lindenstrauss, as his special adviser on corruption. For the past year, Levy has devoted most of his time to investigating the financing of overseas trips taken by Netanyahu and his wife Sara while Netanyahu was still an ordinary Knesset member, before he became prime minister in 2009 for the second time.
Levy even questioned Netanyahu twice about this funding, which allegedly came from businessmen and various organizations, and drafted a document saying the couple's behavior raised suspicions of improprieties. Now, however, he will be forced to vacate his post in another few weeks.
Levy's appointment as chief investigator in the case (popularly known as "Bibi Tours") upset the prime minister and his inner circle. A senior member of Netanyahu's Likud party even asked Lindenstrauss not to assign Levy to the case, on the grounds that over a decade ago, Levy served as head of the police team that investigated another case against Netanyahu.
In that case, which involved his first term as premier (1996-99 ), Netanyahu was suspected of having the Prime Minister's Office pay for work done by a contractor in his private home. Levy thought there was enough evidence to indict him, but then-Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein deemed the evidence insufficient and closed the case.
Shapira was elected state comptroller by the Knesset with strong backing from Netanyahu, whose decision stemmed in part from the recommendation of his personal lawyer, David Shimron. Before the vote, which pitted Shapira against former Supreme Court Justice Eliezer Rivlin, he met with Netanyahu twice at the prime minister's official residence in Jerusalem. The former district court judge also met with other politicians, including Shas party chairman Eli Yishai and Labor Party chairwoman Shelly Yacimovich.
But the new comptroller, who took office in July, doesn't think the support he received from Netanyahu should disqualify him from handling an investigation into the premier. "Given that the Knesset elected the comptroller with a majority of 68 Knesset members out of the 106 Knesset members present in the plenum, from the moment of that vote, there is no place to discuss disqualifying the comptroller," Shapira's office said in a statement.
A few weeks ago, Shapira hosted a discussion of the "Bibi Tours" case in his office. Immediately afterward, Tomer Zarchin reported in Haaretz that the comptroller was considering transferring to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin all the material about Netanyahu's trips, on the grounds that Netanyahu was an ordinary MK at the time, and the comptroller has no authority to deal with alleged improprieties by MKs; his authority only covers the executive branch. This was the legal argument put forth by Shimron, Netanyahu's attorney, and Shapira was apparently considering adopting it.
The Haaretz report sparked an outcry against Shapira, and critics accused him of serving the man who put him in office. In conversations with associates, Shapira rejected this claim. But he is still hesitating over what to do with this material.
In conversations with associates, Shapira said he decided to oust Levy partly because Levy's job is what is known as a position of trust - one that requires the holder to have the complete confidence of his superior - and Shapira would prefer someone else in this position. He also argued that politicians have largely ceased engaging in overt corruption, so he would rather focus his office's efforts on more complex and less visible corruption cases.
Finally, he denied any intent to close the "special assignments" unit that Lindenstrauss set up. This unit specialized in public corruption cases, such as excess salary payments at the Bank of Israel and the various cases against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
The comptroller's office reiterated this denial in an official statement. "Not only is the state comptroller not considering dismantling the special assignments unit, which deals, inter alia, with corruption and ethics cases, but he intends to strengthen the fight against these problems in the near future," it said. "The comptroller believes that activity by the State Comptroller's Office, the media and the general public has contributed greatly in recent years to exposing corruption and impropriety, such that today, there is a need to invest greater effort in uncovering acts of corruption and impropriety, which are becoming more sophisticated every day. Accordingly, we must strengthen the battle against corruption and impropriety by deploying our office suitably."
