Ex-PM Aide Recounts Alleged Restaurant Payment Incident Involving Netanyahu Couple
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Edna Halvani, a former senior official in the Prime Minister's Office, has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara of financial impropriety. Halvani claims that in 2009, she had to pay for a restaurant meal for the couple in London because they allegedly lacked a credit card. She further alleges that Sara Netanyahu screamed during the incident and that the couple initially expected her to cover the cost. Halvani, who worked with 11 prime ministers, has become a critic of the Netanyahus since her retirement.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Former PM's Office official Edna Halvani accused the Netanyahus of financial impropriety.
- Halvani claims she paid for a 2009 London restaurant meal for the couple.
- She alleges Sara Netanyahu screamed during the incident over payment issues.
- Halvani stated the Netanyahus expected her to pay and did not initially offer reimbursement.
- Natan Eshel, then Chief of Staff, eventually repaid Halvani the full amount.
- Halvani worked with 11 Israeli prime ministers before retiring in 2022.
Edna Halvani, a veteran public servant who worked for nearly 50 years in senior roles within the Prime Minister's Office, has shared an anecdote alleging financial impropriety by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara.
Halvani, who served under 11 prime ministers from Golda Meir to Yair Lapid and was responsible for organizing state visits, has become a vocal critic of the current government and the Netanyahu family. In a recent post on X, she detailed an incident she claims occurred in London in 2009.
According to Halvani, the Netanyahus wanted to dine at a restaurant but claimed they had no credit card. Halvani states that Sara Netanyahu "screamed" in the suite, creating a "terrible scene." To prevent a "catastrophe," Halvani offered her own credit card, paid for the meal, which cost approximately 1,200 shekels (a significant sum for her at the time), and waited outside while they ate.
Halvani expressed outrage that the couple, whom she described as "millionaires," allowed her, a salaried employee, to pay for their private meal and did not initially offer to reimburse her. She eventually demanded the money back, and it was paid to her "to the last penny" by Natan Eshel, the then-Chief of Staff.
Halvani, who retired in 2022, established the Department for Visits and International Relations in 1995 after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. She has been close to the Netanyahu family for years but has publicly voiced sharp criticism of them and the government's conduct, particularly since the events of October 7th.
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