Running for the post of Likud chairman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amassed over NIS 1 million in a single month from 28 donors, all from overseas. Most of the donors were from New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Los Angeles, with one donor from Germany and one from Spain. The law allows a candidate for party leader to raise donations up to a NIS 2 million ceiling, with the maximum donation from one person being NIS 45,880.
A report by the Prime Minister's Office to the State Comptroller shows that the Miami-based Falic family, which owns a chain of duty-free shops in the US and South America, contributed NIS 179,183 to Netanyahu. Friend of the Israel Defense Force chairperson Nily Falic and her children, Jerome, Chana, and Simon, each made a personal contribution of $11,000, close to the maximum figure allowed. The Falic family was also featured in the Bibi-Tours investigative report.
The Schottenstein family, which owns the American Eagle fashion chain, made four contributions to Netanyahu. The four donations to Netanyahu by the Schottensteins, who also bought a house for Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, among other things, totaled NIS 157,000. Another leading contributor was the Book family from New Jersey, which gave Netanyahu's campaign NIS 173,096. Other Netanyahu contributors included David Simon (NIS 45,115), John Kruger (NIS 45,115), and Shlomo Rechnitz (NIS 44,517).
MK Danny Danon, Netanyahu's opponent in the race for leadership of the Likud, raised NIS 261,120 from 11 donors, mostly in the US.
Minister of the Interior Gilad Erdan, who is running for first place on the Likud list, reported donations totaling NIS 298,048 to the State Comptroller. Yisrael Katz, also running for the top spot, has not yet made a report to the State Comptroller.
Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon raised NIS 304,780 from 39 different contributors, mostly US residents. Coalition chairman MK Zeev Elkin raised NIS 398,000 from 54 donors.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 31, 2014
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2014