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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likes his ice cream — but he's frozen his annual ice cream budget after the size of it was publicized, The Associated Press reported.
An Israel economic publication, Calcalist, published an article last week pointing out purchases on the prime minister's annual expense budget, the AP reported. Netanyahu's office reportedly requested and was granted permission to buy up to 10,000 shekels -- or about US$2,700 -- of ice cream from the state budget per year, the Calcalist reported.
Following publication of the Calcalist's findings, the prime minister came under criticism at a time when he is working to pass an austerity budget that reportedly affects teachers, social workers and police officers, The Guardian reported.
Political opponent Shelly Yachimovich, leader of Israel's Labor Party, was critical of the ice cream funding in a Facebook post on Feb. 14.
"If there's no bread, let them eat ice-cream. Should we laugh or cry? Was that what he meant when he said there are no 'free meals'?" Yachimovich's post said, according to The Guardian's translation.
Netanyahu's office told the AP on Sunday that once the prime minister was made aware of this ice cream contract, he called it "excessive and unacceptable" and ordered that it be stopped right away, the AP reported.
But not everyone is upset.
"It's really a shame," ice cream maker Serena Kanfi told The Jerusalem Post. "He's also a human being. He should be able to eat ice cream wherever he wants."
"They have a lot of guests and invite a lot of people," Kanfi also told the newspaper.
Netanyahu has a fancy for vanilla and pistachio ice creams, according to the Calcalist.
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He is free to buy ice cream for himself. Why should the taxpayers foot the bill?
Agree Ed. I like Bibi but WTF. Buy your own ice cream. The tax payers pay for your steak (or brisket) dinner. And why am I even commenting on this..........
When taxpayers buy their own health insurance, why should they have to pay for other peoples' health insurance?
Gotta give him credit for at least stoping the abuse. When American politicans are caught with their hands in the cookie jar the response is generally more of the same with a little more just for spite.
Apparently terrorists also like ice cream. Cut this one some slack.
I doubt he likes ice cream as much as himself........or isn't it Ted Cruz from Texas that has made two trips to meet Bibi in the last month? The same guy who is bashing Chuck Hagel? I assume that he had his lips surgically attached to the rear of Bibi to match Mitch McConnell and Sister Lindsey Graham.
Now I know where all the money we give them is going. Except for the houseing on the west bank.
Netanyahu can do crazy things. This is least of all.
Many times he acts as if he is on the payroll of oil rich Sunni rulers, oil companies and their lobbyists.
Before each Iraqi war: he and his team invented "dangerous chemical weapons" or "WMDs" in Saddam's Iraq.
After igniting Iraqi wars and outsourcing dirty jobs of Iraqi wars to NATO forces, he vanished.
Now he is back to business on Syria and Iran!
At least Netanyahu has the sense to appear to stop wasteful spending in a time calling for cuts,
UNLIKE American politicans who just exempt themselves from the very laws they ask Americams to obey!
BREAKING NEWS>>>THIS JUST IN>>>>Muslims declare jihad on frozen deserts....
.............lalalalalalalalalalahakalakaalla....jihad.....hakahlakakahakakakla...brainfreeze AHHHHHHHHHHHH
Behold, we strain at Netanyahu's knat while Obama swallows many camels!
Stupid story and even worse the people crying out in outrage about it. We have our president with his own personal team of chefs, eats whatever he wishes on our dime and we scream about Ice Cream? I think it must have been a real slow news day that they focus on this trivial nonsense.
our "president" spends 7 million on one vacation of tax payers money......whats the big deal on $2,700 a year on ice cream..............
I was banned from entering comments for a month for using all CAPS. Why can't you bann Wilson?
So what, Wilsonarden11? I don't buy my stuff from people I don't know, and by the way what does your ad have to do with the article we're reading.
As for Bibi's ice cream diet, wonder if those were US support dollars that was paying for it?
If the Obamas would eat ice cream and stop taking extravagant vacations and leaving and arriving separately, America would save hundreds of millions of dollars.
Someone should shovel real ice cream down moochie's throat so she can taste the goodness of real food and not that fake crap she is forcing upon our children at school!
If the company you worked for (assuming you do have a job) revoked all of your benefits and let you pay for everything yourself, I am sure you would be fine with it. An employer shouldn't have to pay for your vacation or your healthcare for that matter.......right?
Another sore loser leftover from Election Day. Grow up and get used to it. We spoke, we won and you didn't. America, love it or leave it. Somalia sounds like a good place for you and your types.
Yeah, you won.. Economy is going down the toilet. Rights are being destroyed day by day. And your ruler thinks he's a god. Too bad the greatest country on earth will be destroyed. Hope you like what you've won.
Your so-called "greatest country on earth" going down the toilet ?? We have to look no further than His Idiocy George the Second. Eight years of his 'what the hell' spending have left a mess even your saint Reagan couldn't fix in another eight years.
I agree with Mr. Wise...while the person elected to the office may not have been your choice...he was ELECTED by a majority of your fellow citizens, and with that, should be afforded all the respect due to THE OFFICE TO WHICH HE WAS ELECTED. Common respect, in all forms, is something sadly deteriorating from our culture....as evidenced well here.
Republican or Democrat...does it really matter ?? First and foremost, we are all CITIZENS. And the people we ELECT should be held accountable for their votes and actions.
While the constitution guarantees free speech to all...and I am thankful to our founders for that inviolatable right, among others...I can't help but to feel that after reading a majority of the comments written here, the right afforded the american people should have come with a "moron" check first.
"real" ice cream -- sugar, butterfat... all the good things that keep the population OBESE. Yup real concern for the population....wait for the Type 2 diabetes to hit
Get a real job and then send your kids to a real school with a decent lunch from home... that way you wouldn't have to worry about what Mrs. Obama is "forcing" on your kids at school. Stop blaming others for your failed life.
“the prime minister came under criticism at a time when he is working to pass an austerity budget that reportedly affects teachers, social workers and police officers,”
It is back to square one with sanctions on Iranian oil. Oil prices, which was $40 in 2009, is currently above $110.
Excuse: Iran is about to get dangerous “WMDs.” Are Paki nukes strategic ally’s nukes?
Were not these excuses similar to Iraqi wars? Where were the WMDs and dangerous chemical weapons in Saddam’s Iraq?
Iraqi wars gave us the following.
1. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and other rich ME sharks became richer by manipulating oil prices too high.
2. Oil companies and their lobbyists also benefitted. Oil prices, which were hardly $30 a barrel before 1991, shot up to $140 a barrel.
3. Since 2003, future traders, rating agencies, Wall Street and oil companies and their lobbyists transferred five trillion dollars from oil importing countries to oil exporting nations.
Where do you count $2700 and Obama’s expenses before the oil prince manipulations and the results?
Will you stop the blame Bush nonsense. This president needs to start taking responsibility for his own mess. Like it or not compared to Obama Bush looks fiscally responsible, he looks like a great champion of our civil rights.
Only the left would yell about a former president while ignoring the current one who has suspended any civil rights for any American he deems a enemy of the state. He has with his orders made it possible to detain anyone indefinitely, thus suspending your civil rights. He has made it possible to kill you without any judicial oversight, he has a kill list without these people ever seeing the light of a court room. While I do not support some of these people's actions, I can in no way support the president giving the right to terminate without trial or even Judaical finding.
Scream about fiscal responsibility, this president has put us more in debt then all the other ones combined, and what do we have to show for it, nothing.
But then this is what you idiots voted for, you spoke because you cared nothing for future generations as long as you can get your free cell phone our children should be able to bail us out of debt.
You need to do some remedial math before you make stupid comments like "a majority of my fellow citizens elected him". You couldn't be more wrong. The majority of the voters elected him, which proves your last point, "moron checks" should be mandatory. Oh and while learning your new math skills, try and figure out how much more debt has been added in the past 5 years than in all of the 232 years prior.
As for respect, it is earned not given. Apparently you have no concept of that fact of life.
"You need to do some remedial math before you make stupid comments like "a majority of my fellow citizens elected him". You couldn't be more wrong. The majority of the voters elected him, which proves your last point, "moron checks" should be mandatory. Oh and while learning your new math skills, try and figure out how much more debt has been added in the past 5 years than in all of the 232 years prior.
As for respect, it is earned not given. Apparently you have no concept of that fact of life. "
Hey there Boner...apologies for the mistaken identifier, I certainly should have stated "voters" instead of "citizens" (Though they are both one and the same). Appreciate you calling me on that.
On the other hand, the point STILL stands...that he was elected by the majority. A point most of the Obama haters on this thread seem to discount. My question to you is simply this...where were all YOUR fellow citizen/voters this past November ?? Seems to me it's basic logic that had the Romney-ites been more in force in the polls, the results would be entirely different...another point worth considering my bashing little friend, is that MORE REPUBLICANS jumped ship this last election, and VOTED FOR THE OPPOSITION than in any other election since Hoover.
Hmmmm...actions do seem to speak louder than words.
As for me ?? Obama was not my first choice, however when faced with the other choice offered, namely 'My Wife Drives A Couple Of Cadillacs' candidate Romney, I, like many of your fellow Republicans, choose the person that at least is making an effort to bring together a Congress and House that, like you my little friend, seem to hate the fact their hero was vanquished at the polls.
Like it or not people, we ARE citizens living in a democracy...and the majority speaks.
At 60, I'm older I assume than many of those posting here...but then again I was raised in a different time of patriotism and respect (Thanks Mom and Dad!)...flew carrier jets in Gulf 1 and Refuelers in Gulf 2 conflicts...and yes, I respect the office of the President, and with that, the person in said office.
So have at me my whining little friend...and as for the rest of the USA bashers ?? Three choices come to mind...find a way to affect change on the system and work towards that goal, move to another country (I hear Libya and those other beautiful dictator-run countries have a lot to offer), or do what the majority do...namely stomp your tiny little feet and bash everyone that has a different opinion of yours.
Bush the Second, and a Republican-run Congress got us in a financial mess and damn near bankrupted the US...FACT. Frankly, I'd have voted for ANYONE that had even a remote plan on how to reverse it...Obama's plan may not be the best, but at least it's a baby step toward more fiscal responsibility that Romney didn't have a clue about.
Oh, and one other point you made about our 'rights' being taken away by Obama??
Can anyone say "Patriot Act"...???
@DaChef LeChef:
Well my littler friend, thank you for your service. Truly a shame you learned no manners or respect while there. You speak as though you know me, you do not. Romney was/is no hero of mine, but he was and still is the lesser of the two evils. Next, you still do not seem to grasp that the majority of the people here do not run things, or anything(s) for that matter. You should be able to figure that out w/out my having to explain. As for rights being taken away, yes I can say Patriot Act. Can you show me where I blame Obama solely for the erosion of our rights? Of course he did sign NDAA2013 and HR 347, and now wants to do away with the 2nd Amendment. (You can argue this point until you are blue in the face, but his record speaks for itself. He and his ilk will be coming for our guns).
Fiscal responsibility? Obama wouldn't know what that meant if it bit him in the ass. Perhaps you can show me somewhere, anywhere in his background any business education or experience from which he draws his ideas. He is a charlatan. And if you want to compare him to Bush, have at it. Bush was no prize either. One thing is for certain however, Bush has not been in office for over 4 years. Blame him all you want, but this debacle falls squarely in the lap of the evader-in-chief, even though he will never accept the blame for anything.
'America bashers', not me. I love this country. It disgusts me to watch the government grow bigger and bigger while the uneducated, ignorant, or just plain blind sheep sit back and give away everything our nation has fought for over the last 240 years, just so they can get something for nothing.
Finally, the office of the President should be respected, but under no circumstances does that mean the occupier of that office deserves any respect until it is earned. One of the biggest problems we face as a nation is the idea that the POTUS is infallible and that so many people are willing to pay blind allegiance to him. As somebody once opined, America can survive 8 years of Obama, but will be unable to survive a future filled with the idiots who support him.
Again thank you for your service. I'm out.
No wonder Bebe's a Fat Bastard. He's walking in Ariel Sharon's Fat Ass shoes.
What kind of language is that? How hateful and racist!! Did you NOT read the rules and regulations when you signed up to be here? Get with the program and keep out the bad language and hate.
uh think - you don't control the language - nobody appointed you the "hall monitor". IF you go into your settings you can set your obscenity filter to "on" - otherwise STFU (or do I need to TRANSLATE the acronym for you?)
You have to be a bit careful in using words.
Netanyahu and his team in Israel and their Jewish gang in the US imagine that they are world monitors and world's wealth manipulators.
How can you use such words against "bosses"?
They charge you with "human rights" violations!
ThinkWises' curse militia out in full force. Its good to know god fearing tattle tails are keeping good accord on this thread.
I see why anti-Israeli crowd is upset, you take away their right to throw insult - they will have nothing left to say.
That's a cute story...
hey Chubby Nate; If this destabilizes Israeli economy, just add another line item to the invoice you are billing to US.
We are paying billions in reimbursements for horrible causes, whats couple thousand more for a friend?.
Palestinians protested this by blowing up a school bus.
Clown
gunga-7770545 banned, re-reg of multiple accounter phenren and others.
Ah yes, ice cream. Whole kingdoms have fallen due to a lack of ice cream. What better way to court an enemy, stabilize economies, revive a flagging civilization than with true vanilla or pistachio....or (gasp!) a neapolitan banana split!
Now I know where our $3 billion U.S. tax dollars go annually. CNN's report called God's Warriors on youtube videos 3&4 show exactly how our $3 billion yearly goes to another first world country (Israel). The UN and the world knows they're in violation of building illegal settlements. So, he can eat lots of ice cream as he designs pictures of bombs to show to the ignorant goys at the next UN event. He's another despicable PM that uses words of friend, ally and solidarity to charm Americans into protecting them and giving them more and more money. The recent documentary, The Gatekeepers and also 5 Broken Cameras are Israeli created documentaries that show the "real deal". It's time for these pompous leaders are held accountable for their wrongdoings and it's time for us to say something about how our money is being frivolously spent and handed out. Where was he when it came to offering help with Katrina, Sandy and our drought stricken fields last Summer? Eating ice cream no doubt.
What a total non sense. This ice cream story was news enough for you to post hateful remarks? Apparently this NBC intelligent ice cream story was more important to you than the other news on Syrians killing each other by shiedling themselves behind children.
By the way, research the Sandy story. Israel was the only foreign country helping in New Jersey and New York states. NBC is better at reporting about ice cream.
Thinkwise what a misnomer...slurp...slurp...slurp...swallow...ummmmm salty.
Give me a break, you call it illegal building on land that is rightfully Israels. The world screams and tells Israel not to build houses around its capital, but how do you think the Americans or Europeans would react if the world told them the same thing. You scream about this being the Palestinian capital when in fact they have never been self ruled, never had any historical claim to the city, and the last time Arabs were in charge of Old Jerusalem they did what they always do, deny people the freedom of worshipping in places they consider holy. In fact Jewish people were denied visiting the grave sites that had historical significance, they were cut off of the Wailing wall and even to this day are still not able to visit their holiest site because the Arabs throw a temper tantrum every time they try. I find it amazing how these people demand we respect their views while refusing to respect anyone else.
We have seen so far what happens when land is given for so called peace, all Israel has gotten is suicide bombers and rockets and Mortars fired at them. Either these people will have to accept Jerusalem is the Capital of Israel or they will not get their own nation. Keep up the attacks and sooner or later Israel will get tired of it and go in and bus them out. How is it you scream it outrage when Israel goes in and destroys a rocket launching facility that has launched hundreds of rockets at them. You scream aggression while ignoring the fact of why they went in to destroy this site. Personally I do not blame Israel for doing what needs to be done because every nation demands of them what they would never do themselves.
Tbenton, how nice to read your comment, you are the only person with wits here!
$2700 ice cream bill? Almost matches Sandra Fluke's $3000 condom bill that our govt. was going to insist Catholics to pay.
so gee - 25 cents each - that's 12,000 fu cks - go ahead try to surpass it - with your big mouth you probably could...
Think Wise, you should take your own advice. What a bunch of pompous extremist nonsense! Your words cannot harm me!
Think Wise, you should follow your own advice and stop polluting this site with your Jew baiting crapola!
By the fact that you ran a "fun fact" about Bibi during this time makes one aware of how serious you take the United Nations listing Israel for War Crimes, or why in the middle of America find a Secretary of Defense, Ted Cruz (who has been bashing the nominee) made two trips to Israel to meet with him. That we send the country BILLIONS every year while many children here go without food ...much less ice cream.
So, while we understand that you must work under the rules of AIPAC, do you have to make pathetic jokes on their behalf too? Sad that you are not on the same page as American's with regards to Israel, but just like the WMD's your network will be on the wrong side of history.
Let me your readers know if the network is lacking serious news as we are more than willing to keep you posted on what is going on in and around the world.
"Let me your readers know if the network is lacking serious news as we are more than willing to keep you posted on what is going on in and around the world."
They have got serious news already, but you are just fixated on ice cream eating news because the word "Israel" is in it. Some of the serious news, on this same network, are the UN considering charges of war crime for Syrians killing each other and Gas at the pump reaching over $4 a gallon, a serious drag on economy.
The "United Nations" ?? That in and of itself is an oxymoron. Over 80% of the member nations DO NOT CONTRIBUTE to their own United Nations expenses...check the facts, the US picks up the tab for a majority of these deadbeat nations that clamor on and on and badger the UN for aid, help, restrictions, sanctions, etc...etc...etc...
Worlds biggest "Paper Tiger", the UN is...
So we should stop sending aid to Israel if they can waste this kind of money on ice cream. God knows what else they're spending our 3 billion a year on.
The 3 billion goes to spending on defense weapons in The US - of course it is known to those who take time to research the aid condition before they post. $2,700 a year (or as you called it "this kind of money") is what Obama spends in minutes going to West Palm Beach for golfing, while Michelle and the kids going to Aspen Colorado for skiing. He likes to eat ice cream.
Y'all really should check your facts better...
According to the GAO (Government Accounting Office), the Obamas are sent a bill, and DO pay any overages in expenses beyond the budgeted account for POTUS for any extraneous expenses non-government related.
I do seem to notice the mouthy majority who hold a grudge because THEIR choice was not the peoples being strangely silent on all the money spent by the GREAT GEORGE THE SECOND traveling for golf, vacations, whatever...
Republican cat got your tongue ??
you cant talk to these people with facts you have to make thing up like false news fox and rush and Alex Jones something like this (teddy bears bomb Belarus billions in damage and its know to fox that the president was behind the hole thing him and the nwo are know to do bear bombing fox was contacted by Alex Jones he said he has proof that the president and the nwo did the bombing with their lizard people friends that live under ground ) something like that works with these people not facts
Well chef, you can say what you want abot the GAO; at a cost of 550+ million a year these people answer to the same politicians you say they are suppose to audit. As far as I am concerned you can take you CBOs, GAOs, SECs, EPAs,CIAs,FBIs and any other agency and get rid of all of them. They are all a drain on America's purse and produce nothing but lies
Republicans has a short memory when any mention of the two King Georges and teir boss Cheney.
All you " Patriots" stand by israel.
Remember the U.S.S. Liberty, 37 American Sailors killed.
Then the cowardly bastards strafed our boys in lifeboats.
The Liberty never abandoned ship. The lifeboats were strafed while on deck and set ablaze by napalm. The crew tossed them overboard while on fire. Hold whatever opinions you will, but get it straight.
This must be a slow news day.
Always thought he was a @!$%#.
Hopefully, Obama will tell Israel you're on your own and we're tired of your Fifth Columnists running our foreign policy.
Learn how to make friends in your neighborhood and bugger off, and stop sucking on the American teat.
The Holocaust was a long time ago, the genocide of the Jews was not a unique event, and get over yourselves.
If you think my African and American Indian ancestors were not genocided, then forget you.
Brian, the Jews played a crucial role in creating the civil rights movement: When the white Southerners blamed them for "riling up" the blacks, they were largely right. The blacks, in turn, had insisted on fighting Hitler, when the government wanted them to stay behind the lines. But perhaps all that was such a long time ago, that both groups have forgotten how they faced their common enemy of racism.
cassandra... I thought you didn't give a rat's a$$ about the past. or was it just convenient not to.
Freezing the ice cream budget could be dangerous. He needs something to help keep him cool or else he may bomb the daylights out of his neighbors. God only knows they need it.
They could catapult that ice cream at the neighbors and cool them a bit. And top it off with some chocolate syrup.
ahhh...ice cream? He is probably putting himself on a diet that he's putting the other ice cream eaters on too?
What don't they try smaller portions of ice cream? What about the beer budget? What's going to happen to that?
FOOD FIGHT!!!!
$27,000.00 a year for ice cream?!!! What is it covered with, 24k gold? That is ridiculous. He better hope Bloomingidiotberger doesn't hear about this or ice cream will be banned in Israel.
Ok, if he is having a dinner or event for dignataries or politics then I would see the gov paying. If he is getting a pint of vanilla for himself. Then he can pay for it out of his pocket. The amazing thing is. This is the best news coming out of there right now? Makes me wonder what is really going on. I will whatever it is. Ice is a good distraction.
Good worthless story for World news.
Just why in the hell is the main body of this article so damn small now?? So they can squeeze in more ads that we don't look at anyhow??? Jerks!!