The Cabinet on Sunday 12 Teves 5774 approved the establishment of a public committee to be chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge and State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg. The committee’s other members will be former IAF Air Force Commander Major-General (retired) Ido Nechushtan and accountant Iris Stark.

The committee will evaluate the possibility of purchasing a plane for the flights of the Prime Minister and President, as is customary in many other countries. Currently, planes are chartered from commercial companies, the cost of which frequently runs into millions of shekels per trip.

The committee will also evaluate the possibility of building a single structure for the Prime Minister’s office and his residence, as is the case in many countries. In any case, if the committee decides on the construction of a single structure, it is anticipated that it will only be ready in many years.

The committee will submit its recommendations to the full Cabinet after it has evaluated both the economic and security aspects.

Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit said, “This is a national security need that will serve the State of Israel at least for several decades. Moreover, today the Prime Minister’s plane lacks proper communications equipment, which the head of state for almost every advanced country has. The Finance Ministry has also previously determined that purchasing a plane is economical. Even if it is decided to build the structure, it will, of course, only be in many years. As of now, nobody is talking about such sums, only about recommendations to build a reinforced office and purchase a plane.”

In response to ministers who suggested making a decision to purchase a plane and construct a structure for the Prime Minister without a committee, Cabinet Secretary Mandelblit said, “While it would be possible for the Cabinet to decide directly, we thought it would be more proper to establish an outside committee.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)