Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Israel spent nearly $470,000 (around Rs 4.49 crore) on hairstyling, makeup and official representation expenses for its prime ministers between January 2019 and August 2026, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu accounting for about 90 per cent of the grooming costs, according to figures released by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The disclosure followed Freedom of Information request filed in December 2025 by attorney Yaara Winkler-Shalit on behalf of the Movement for Freedom of Information. The records provide a rare breakdown of public spending on the appearance and representation of Israel’s prime ministers, including costs incurred during official travel and major political and military periods.
advertisement
NETANYAHU-ERA SPENDING ROSE SHARPLY
The data shows that hair and makeup expenses climbed substantially after Netanyahu returned to office.
In 2022, when Bennett and Lapid served as prime ministers, combined spending on hair and makeup was around 84,000 shekels, or roughly Rs 26.34 lakh. The figure jumped to about 311,000 shekels, approximately Rs 97.52 lakh, in 2023 after Netanyahu returned as prime minister.
The overall spending that year was about $103,000 (Rs 0.98 crore), according to the released figures.
The highest annual expenditure came in 2025, when roughly $111,000 was spent on hair styling and makeup. Netanyahu and Sara Netanyahu together accounted for the overwhelming majority of grooming expenses recorded over the period.
The records also cover the months surrounding the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Between September and November that year, about $2,600 was spent on Netanyahu’s hair styling and another $1,580 on makeup. In October alone, hair styling costs amounted to 2,457 shekels, or around Rs 77,000.
OFFICIAL TRIPS ADDED TO THE BILL
Overseas travel generated some of the largest individual grooming expenses on records.
A four-day visit by Netanyahu to Washington, DC, in February 2025 resulted in approximately $13,500 in hair and makeup costs. A separate Washington trip in July 2024 generated another bill of around $11,500 for the same services.The records separately detail official representation expenses, which include spending associated with clothing and hosting linked to the prime minister’s official duties.
Netanyahu recorded approximately $134,000 in representation expenses during the period covered by the disclosure. Bennett;s corresponding figure was around $19,000, while Lapid’s was approximately $2,600.
TRANSPARENCY FIGHT OVER PUBLIC MONEY
The release of the figures followed months of resistance from state authorities to requests for detailed information about the spending. The Movement for Freedom of Information has criticised the Prime Minister’s Office for withholding itemised records and requiring legal action before releasing information on expenditure.
Hiddai Negev, CEO of the organisation, said public officials should recognise that government funds are not personal funds and must be spent with accountability. Some information are still concealed. The names of the hairstylists and makeup artists who worked for the prime minister were redacted from the documents, with officials citing “state security” reasons.
The transparency group has also pursued information on other appearance-related spending, including jewellery, personal clothing and external image consulting. Some of those requests were refused by the government, prompting further legal challenges.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
