Netanyahu Family Accused of Misusing Public Funds for Private Homes

Journalist Miki Levin, in an article for the Maariv newspaper, has accused the family of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of exploiting public funds to finance renovations and preparations in their private residences. This comes amid ongoing, five-year-long renovation work at the official residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem. The article is based on an investigation by Israel's Channel 12 program "Uvda" (Fact), which raised suspicions of deliberate delays in the official residence's renovation to allow continued state funding for protection, maintenance, and equipping of other homes used by the Netanyahu family.

According to the investigation, the continued uninhabitability of the Balfour residence necessitates providing alternatives for Netanyahu's accommodation. These include his private home in Caesarea, a prepared alternative residence on Gaza Street in Jerusalem, another apartment for the family on HaBursim Street in Jerusalem, and an undisclosed residential complex in the capital for security reasons. The investigation indicated that the state funded work and preparations at these locations, including private family properties, raising questions about the extent of public fund usage for private property improvements and the connection of some work to actual security needs.

The investigation revealed that Sara Netanyahu requested a quiet workspace in the family's HaBursim Street apartment, despite it not being officially designated as a prime ministerial residence or alternative. The article questioned the justification for approving and funding such work with public money. It also noted Sara Netanyahu's demand for continued security, fortification, and renovation work on the family's private homes, even after Benjamin Netanyahu's term as prime minister ends. A former official responsible for the prime minister's residences was quoted in the article stating that the delays at Balfour were intentional to justify continued work on the family's homes in Gaza Street and Caesarea, claims that warrant investigation.

The article also referenced the State Comptroller's 2024 report, which pointed out that delays in renovating the Balfour residence led to additional costs for equipping alternative private residences. Some equipment and items purchased for the official residence's kitchen and courtyard became obsolete or were damaged due to the prolonged renovations. The investigation touched upon the costs of repairing damage to Netanyahu's Caesarea home from a drone strike, estimating over 1.8 million shekels for a fortified window repair, along with wall construction that the newspaper reported was done without the required approvals from the Shin Bet security agency.

In conclusion, Levin called on the Attorney General to examine suspicions of deliberate delays in the Balfour residence renovations, approval of expenses beyond security and professional needs, and the use of public funds to improve the Netanyahu family's private properties.