State Comptroller Joseph Shapira sent Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu the
draft of his report on the “Bibi-Tours Affair,” Channel 2 reported on
Thursday.
In March 2011, Channel 10 investigative reporter Raviv Drucker
reported on his show Hamakor on a series of flights that Netanyahu took with his
wife, Sara, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, flights allegedly paid for by
wealthy associates.
The comptroller’s draft report was also sent to 30
other ministers and deputy ministers from three Israeli governments over similar
allegations of improper funding of international trips.
According to
Drucker’s report, Netanyahu allegedly used a carefully crafted network of
wealthy associates to finance private flights, luxury hotel suites, first-class
restaurants, and trips abroad for him and his family – benefits that the show
characterized as ethical infractions.
In April 2011,
Drucker made
additional allegations on his show, alleging that on two occasions before he
became prime minister, Netanyahu billed different organizations for the same
flight.
According to Drucker, in one case, Netanyahu attended a
fund-raising event in the US in 2006 for the Ashdod Medical Center, billing it
$8,237 for the flights. He also allegedly billed the Jewish Heritage Foundation
the same amount for flights taken on the same dates.
The prime minister
and other ministers involved in the affair have been given until January 31 to
respond to the comptroller’s report.
The final report is expected to be
released in a few months.
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