The Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that the State Comptroller of the Prime Minister’s Office, Benjamin Netanyahu, is seeking to resign from his position amid the decision by his office to renovate a pool at Netanyahu’s residence in the city of Caesarea, south of Haifa.
The discussion around the renovation of the pool comes amidst heated debates over widespread budget cuts, such as the Gaza war, which costs Israel at least 1 billion shekels ($269 million) per day.
According to Haaretz, a source at the Ministry of Finance stated that “the request for the aforementioned renovation work, which was submitted before the war, pertains to repairing swimming pool steps and some leaks, and was approved by the Prime Minister’s Office during the war.”
The newspaper indicated that “State Comptroller Roy Bnevanishati requested to leave his position due to his dispute with the Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Yossi Sheli, which revolved around funding for the renovation expenses of Netanyahu’s family in their house in Caesarea and in a house on Gaza Street in Jerusalem.”
Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office stated that “the decision related to renovating his residence in Jerusalem and his private home in Caesarea has not been carried out in a manner that violates the law… All renovations adhere to the rules. Furthermore, we note that this is funding for home maintenance and repair, not renovation. The Prime Minister uses the pool in the summer,” as per the newspaper.
According to a knowledgeable source at the Treasury, “This is not the first time they have clashed over housing expenses. Their disagreements reached the Ministry of Finance. This has been ongoing since the Finance Committee gave the final word to the office manager regarding funding expenses in Netanyahu’s residence.”
In February 2023, the Finance Committee in the Knesset approved Netanyahu’s request for government funding to cover housing expenses in two private residences for his family – one in Jerusalem and the other in Caesarea – where the official residence of the Prime Minister is undergoing extensive security renovations and updates.
The committee also decided that the state would cover Sara Netanyahu’s expenses “at any event, conference, or delegation in Israel or abroad,” and raised the ceiling to cover expenses for the couple’s clothing and makeup, which would take effect retroactively from January 1, 2023.
Lawyers Galad Brinia and Galad Shier objected to the committee’s decision on the basis that it was made without authority and was unreasonable.
Up to 2015, the expenses at the Prime Minister’s residential property were overseen by a three-person committee, consisting of the Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry’s legal advisor, and the accountant.
From 2015 until 2023, expenses were covered according to the Prime Minister’s residential property expense-sharing procedures, requiring the state to cover expenses at the private residence only if necessary for the Prime Minister’s role.
Since Sheli obtained the authority to approve expenses, friction has occurred between him and the professionals in the Prime Minister’s Office, with Bnevanishati “who requested to leave, and a replacement for him will be appointed soon,” according to the newspaper.
By March 1, 2024, the Prime Minister’s Office must provide a complete breakdown of the housing expenses to the Finance Committee.
A statement on behalf of the Prime Minister stated, “These are just simple and safe repairs to maintain the existing homes, which are done in accordance with the law and the procedures for the maintenance of the Prime Minister’s and ministers’ homes. If these are not undertaken, the financial damages to the country would be ten times greater.”
Journalist Ben Caspit also criticized the Netanyahu family and wrote a post on his X platform account (formerly Twitter) saying, “Nothing, but everything, from cooking to sacrifice, will shake this family from its habits… The ‘three-person committee’ was canceled, Drorit Steinmetz, everything from funds, a pool, leaks, cars, and guards. As if there is no war and there are displaced people, refugees, and kidnapped here.”
Netanyahu’s Trials for Corruption
It is worth noting that the issue of renovating the pool at the Caesarea residence was raised during Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial during a hearing in the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court in 2022.
Hadas Klein, personal assistant to Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and assistant to Australian billionaire James Packer, explained how Sarah Netanyahu sought to renovate the swimming pool at their family’s private residence in Caesarea at the state’s expense, a plan ultimately thwarted by the Prime Minister.
Netanyahu has often faced criticism for what is perceived as extravagant spending on his lifestyle.
His wife, Sara, has also long faced allegations of lavish living, with reports finding that she repeatedly sought funding for the couple’s private residence, including one instance where she allegedly purchased furniture for the official residence in Jerusalem and then transferred it to the family’s private residence in Caesarea, while moving the old furniture from Caesarea to their residence in Jerusalem.
Various cases have been filed against Netanyahu, who maintains his innocence in three corruption cases. “Case 4000,” also known as the “Bezeq case,” which involves Israel’s largest telecommunications group, is considered the most serious.
In “Case 1000,” Netanyahu and family members are suspected of receiving bribes worth 750,000 shekels ($240,000) from Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and 250,000 shekels ($72,000) from Australian billionaire James Packer. “Case 2000” involves Netanyahu’s alleged attempts to strike a deal with the owner of Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Arnon Mozes, to receive favorable coverage.
Netanyahu also faces the “Bribery case,” commonly known as “Case 4000,” concerning whether he sought positive media coverage on the Walla news website, owned by Shaul Elovitch, in exchange for government policies that benefited his group, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
