How to spend $24,000 on takeout as Prime Minister of Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spending at his two homes on food, cleaning, furniture and clothing may expose him to criminal prosecution, the government’s chief watchdog said. The report shows how money spent on both food for his family and entertaining official guests more than doubled to 490,000 shekels ($126,000) in 2011 from 2009, including about $68,000 over two years for makeup and hairstyling.

He buys 10,000 shekels worth of ice cream, and you don’t have money for cottage cheese. Only a sucker votes Netanyahu.

New campaign billboards attacking Netanyahu

The numbers may be large, but serious, criminal incidents of corruption in Israeli politics are well within memory. Netanyahu’s predecessor, Ehud Olmert, was convicted on bribery and “breach of trust” charges and is serving time in prison. Former President Moshe Katsav is also behind bars after convictions for rape and obstruction of justice. Still, there are some reasons this “scandal” has stung Netanyahu in particular. For one, it’s not the first time he’s been caught with his hands in the cookie jar—so to speak. Nearly two years ago, he was revealed to have a $2,700 per annum budget for ice cream (pistachio for the PM; French vanilla for his wife).

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