In ‘bottlegate’ affair, A-G requests files on PM residence finances

The attorney general asked the state comptroller Sunday evening to share with him the results of ongoing investigation into allegations of excessive expenditures and possible misappropriation of state funds by the Netanyahu family.

According to the Justice Ministry, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein held a meeting on the allegations Sunday evening, after which he released a letter to State Comptroller Yosef Shapira, asking him to “transfer to me all the material you have gathered” on the issue.

“Though your investigation into the matters mentioned in the letter has not yet finished, I would be grateful if you update me on the issue,” the letter read.

Weinstein also asked Shapira for an indication as to when the comptroller’s report on the allegations would be released.

In June 2014, the attorney general had asked Shapira to look into charges that Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, pocketed thousands of shekels in returns on bottles recycled by the prime minister’s residence.

Earlier Sunday, Shapira revealed he would not delay the release of his report because of Election Day on March 17.

Netanyahus’ attorney David Shimron confirmed Sunday that he had requested a delay, because he argued the report should either compare the Netanyahu era with those of other prime ministers, or compare his spending with that of other top officials such as the president.

The comptroller’s office denied it had agreed to the delay and said Shapira’s office was preparing the report for publication. No date was given for publication.

The report goes beyond the recycled-bottles controversy and reportedly examines overall spending on luxuries in the premier’s residence on items such as flower arrangements, scented candles and catering.

Since drinks consumed in the prime minister’s residence are purchased by the state, any funds accruing from them belong, by law, to the state treasury.

The Netanyahus said the funds were collected by them inadvertently, and noted that some NIS 4,000 ($1,017) was returned to the state coffers in 2013 by Sara Netanyahu under the supervision of the financial regulator of the Prime Minister’s Office.

The so-called “bottlegate” accusations, which surfaced in recent weeks in a lawsuit by a former employee of the prime minister’s residence, have been taken up by the election campaigns of parties hoping to oust Netanyahu.

Statements from the prime minister in recent days accused left-wing parties of engaging in “personal” attacks against his family instead of substantive debate.

Tzipi Livni, head of Hatnua and co-leader of the Labor Party-led Zionist Camp Knesset slate, charged over the weekend that the Prime Minister’s Office under Netanyahu consumed a minimum wage’s worth of alcohol, some NIS 4,300, each month.

The PMO retorted on Sunday that an inquiry by the PMO’s financial regulator’s office showed the prime minister’s residence purchased, on average, a single bottle of wine per day during 2013 and 2014.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.