Israel Spends ₹4.49 Crore On PM Netanyahu's Grooming

Israel spent around $470,000 (approximately ₹4.49 crore) on hairstyling, makeup, and official representation expenses for its prime ministers between January 2019 and August 2026. The data, released by the country's Prime Minister's Office, showed that around 90% of the hair and makeup expenses were linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu.

The information was released after attorney Yaara Winkler-Shalit filed a Freedom of Information petition in December 2025 on behalf of the Movement for Freedom of Information. The records showed a sharp increase in hair and makeup expenditure over the years, with spending surging after Netanyahu's return to office.

In 2022, when Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid served as prime ministers, the expenses were around 84,000 shekels (₹26.34 lakh). However, they rose to around 311,000 shekels (₹97.52 lakh) in 2023 after Netanyahu returned as prime minister. The highest annual expenditure was recorded in 2025, when the government spent around $111,000 (₹1.06 crore).

The records also detailed expenditure around the beginning of the war in October 2023. Between September and November that year, around $2,600 (₹2.48 lakh) was spent on Netanyahu's hairstyling and about $1,580 (₹1.51 lakh) on makeup. In October 2023 alone, the government spent 2,457 shekels (₹77,076) on Netanyahu's hairstyling.

Foreign trips contributed significantly to the grooming expenses, with the highest single bill recorded during a four-day visit to Washington DC in February 2025. Around $13,500 (₹12.9 lakh) was spent on hair and makeup during this trip. Another visit to Washington in July 2024 resulted in around $11,500 (₹10.99 lakh) in hair and makeup expenses.

The records separately listed official representation expenses, including clothing and hosting costs associated with official duties. Netanyahu's representation expenses stood at around $134,000 (₹1.28 crore), compared with about $19,000 (₹18.15 lakh) for Bennett and $2,600 (₹2.48 lakh) for Lapid.

Some information in the documents released by the authorities was redacted, with officials citing state security reasons. The names of the prime minister's hairstylists and makeup artists were withheld.

The Movement for Freedom of Information criticized the Prime Minister's Office, saying it repeatedly fails to provide information about public spending until compelled to do so through court petitions. The group's CEO, Hiddai Negev, questioned the public spending on the prime minister's grooming and official expenses.

The issue has sparked debate about transparency and accountability in government spending. The Israeli government has been criticized for its lack of transparency in the past, and this latest revelation is likely to add to the scrutiny.

In conclusion, the Israeli government's spending on Prime Minister Netanyahu's grooming and official expenses has raised eyebrows. The large sums of money spent on hair and makeup, as well as official representation expenses, have sparked debate about the use of public funds. As the Israeli government continues to face scrutiny over its spending habits, it remains to be seen how this issue will be addressed in the future.