Netanyahu receives funds despite Israel’s economic problems

An Israeli parliamentary committee on Thursday approved a fund for Benjamin Netanyahu and his family, helping the prime minister meet personal expenses as mass protests against his measures grow and the economy hits slow.

The committee approved public funds to cover expenses incurred by the Netanyahus at their private residences in Jerusalem and the luxury resort town of Caesarea, as well as an increase of thousands of dollars a year for the Prime Minister’s clothing expenses. minister and his wife Sara.

The funds will give ammunition to critics of Netanyahu’s reputation for not having contact with ordinary people.

“The shekel is collapsing, investors are fleeing, interest rates are skyrocketing, hundreds of thousands of citizens can’t make ends meet, but the Finance Committee has approved the Netanyahu family’s request to fund two residences at taxpayers’ expense,” the opposition Yesh said. Atid party.

“Another reason why Netanyahu has no contact with the population. All the more reason to do good at our expense,” he added.

The country is deeply divided by a government plan to reform the judicial system and the economy faces new challenges with rising inflation and the weakening of the shekel against the dollar.

Leading economists say the legal changes, which seek to weaken the authority of the Supreme Court, will exacerbate economic problems by scaring off investors.

The official residence is under renovation. Former Prime Minister Neftali Bennett has also been criticized for expensive renovations to his private residence despite not having access to the official residence. Bennett said the changes were required by the security service and approved by the attorney general.