Israel Spends Over $1 Million on Prime Ministers' Hair and Makeup

The Israeli government has spent approximately 1.43 million shekels (about $380,000 USD) on makeup and hairstyling services for prime ministers and their spouses, as well as representation expenses, between October 2019 and August 2026. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara account for roughly 90% of these expenditures, according to data released by the Prime Minister's Office in response to a Freedom of Information request. The request was initially filed in December 2025, with the response only now being provided. Some documents were classified for state security reasons, including the identities of the stylists and makeup artists.

The data indicates that during September, October, and November 2023, before and in the early months of the war, 7,897 shekels were paid to a hairdresser and 4,800 shekels to a makeup artist. For the entirety of 2023, these costs totaled around 312,000 shekels. This is a significant increase compared to 2022, when costs for prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid amounted to approximately 84,000 shekels. The highest annual spending within the reporting period was recorded in 2025, reaching about 337,000 shekels.

Expenses also covered services during the prime minister's foreign trips. The most significant expenditure for these services occurred during a visit to Washington in February 2025, totaling around $13,500 USD for a makeup artist and hairdresser. Another Washington trip in July 2024 incurred costs of approximately $11,500 USD.

Representation expenses were also detailed separately for each prime minister. Netanyahu's representation costs during the period were about 408,000 shekels, Bennett's were around 57,000 shekels, and Lapid's were 8,000 shekels, bringing the total to approximately 473,000 shekels.

The Freedom of Information Movement, which filed the request, noted that the Prime Minister's Office often delays responses and only provides information after legal action. The organization stated that public officials must be accountable for the use of state funds.