Sara Netanayhu
Photo: Reuters
Report: Sara Netanyahu told investigators her chef was a 'sh*t cook'
Transcript of interrogation published by Channel 10 claims PM's wife denied any wrongdoing in 'Residence Affair', launched into a barrage of insults against people who had testified against her, slammed key witness as 'lying bastard'.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, said during her investigation in the “Residence Affair”
that workers at the Prime Minister’s Residence tell “lies”, that the probe against her was “an utter disgrace” and described one of her chefs who testified against her as a “sh*t cook,” according to a transcript of one of her interrogations that was published on Sunday evening by Channel 10.
Mrs. Netanyahu was indicted at the end of June and is suspected of ordering private meals worth some NIS 350,000 (roughly $96,600) from high-end restaurants with the state footing the bill, although a cook had been hired to prepare the meals at the residence.
She was charged with fraudulently obtaining benefits under aggravated circumstances, fraud and breach of trust.
Sara Netanyahu (Photo: AP)
Throughout the segment of the interrogation aired by Channel 10, Mrs. Netanyahu spewed off a slew of ad hominem remarks against former workers at the Prime Minister’s Residence who have testified against her.
Below is a transcript of the interrogation:
Investigator: “They asked one of the senior officials in the department ‘what is your explanation for the fact that there is a cook at the Prime Minister’s Residence but, despite that, they would order meals from outside?’ And he answered: ‘Sara said that she wanted to get another kind of food so she requested things from outside. But that was impossible according to the rules.’ What’s your response?”
Mrs. Netanyahu: “That’s a lie. A downright lie.
Investigator: “We’re putting statements before you so that you can respond, not so that you become angry and respond the way you are doing.”
Mrs. Netanyahu: “You are putting lies in front of me.”
Investigator: “In the police investigation, witnesses said that all your requests had to be fulfilled, whatever they were. What’s your response?
Mrs. Netanyahu: “That’s a lie and it's false. The majority of my requests are totally refused. Nothing that I ask for is done. I would invite Moshik Glamin to come and see that the house is leaking, is damaged and ruined. An article was written in which the gatekeepers were negligent, so they decided to tell me no, no and no. That is a lie and it is false. You are always focusing on food, on what the prime minister eats. It’s an utter disgrace.”
Investigator: “It’s not foods that we are focusing on, but rather on why they operated in violation of the law because the money went from money that belonged to the citizens of the State of Israel. We’re not looking for fish, schnitzel and ptimim (a type of toasted pasta shaped like rice grains developed during the austerity in Israel). What’s your response?
Mrs. Netanyahu: “I dispute that. I take care of the state’s money a lot more than other prime ministers of the State of Israel and caretakers. (Residence caretaker) Meni Naftali massively wasted state funds.”
Meni Naftali (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
Investigator: “The investigation material showed that the two chefs that cooked would make all the meals during the day and that there were leftovers on Friday, Saturday and during the High Holidays. It also became apparent that in addition, food was ordered from restaurants and chefs due to a desire by the family for variety, and not to eat the food that was prepared in the residence.”
Mrs. Netanyahu: “When food tasted good, homemade and nutritious, no food was ordered. I want to emphasize—no hearty meals were ordered when there were hearty meals. There were no situation like that. Sometimes sushi was ordered from ‘Sushi Rehavia’ that no one there knew how to make. ‘Sushi Rehavia’ is a simple and good restaurant. I know it. If things were ordered they were simple things.”
Investigator: “Itay Haim (one of the chefs) told us that she was told that you asked that it be hidden that she was a chef.”
Mrs. Netanyahu: “She is a lying woman from the trash group of Meni Naftali. She staged fainting, she made up fake stories about me. Everything she said about me is a lie and false. She’s a sh*t cook. She also claimed once that the prime minister loved her food and that was a lie and false. She is a repulsive woman. Meni is a big bastard and a liar.”
Investigator: “One of the residence workers named Meir Cohen said that you said that no one could know that there was a chef. He testified that he loves your family. Is he also a liar?
Mrs. Netanyahu: “I don’t know if he is lying. I did not tell Meir ‘hide that.’”
