Defense Minister Ehud Barak and wife Nili
Photo: Yariv Katz
Report: Baraks employed foreign worker
Kol Israel reports Filipino women performed several cleaning, cooking jobs in defense minister's home. Barak's office issues statement saying: 'Woman did part time housekeeping, is no longer employed'
Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his wife Nili are making headlines once again. According to a report on Kol Israel radio, the couple employed a foreign worker from the Philippines on several occasions.
The woman reportedly helped prepare dinners for quests and also did cleaning jobs around the house twice a week.
The foreign worker was employed by the defense minister's wife. According to the report, the woman is married to another Filipino foreign worker, and has a child. In recent years she has worked in cleaning jobs in Israel, after working as a caretaker in the past.
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Reports of the employment of a foreign worker have stirred embarrassment in the defense minister's office, in light of recent scandalous reports on Barak.
The minister's office did not comment on any permits the couple may or may not have had to employ a foreigner but gave the following statement: "This is a woman who worked in housekeeping in the Barak residence, part time, on occasion. The woman is no longer employed."
Barak has been at the center of a number of embarrassing affairs in recent months. Last August, his wife Nili Priell-Barak shut down her "Taurus Israel Financial Ventures" company amid rumors of business improprieties.
According to reports, the company had standing business relations with two of Barak's campaign contributors.
Yedioth Ahronoth published copies of correspondence, in which Priell suggested putting her clients in touch with several key figures among Israel's decision makers.
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss recently published a harsh report in which he criticized the expenses of defense minister's delegation to the Paris Air Show this year.
According to the report, the Defense Ministry convoy's hotels were booked too late, leading to a decision to choose a very expensive hotel and book rooms which were eventually not used by anyone. In fact, about one-third of the total expenditure – about NIS 944,000 (about $254,000) – was spent on nothing.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
