Free Newsletters - Space - Defense - Environment - Energy
..
. Medical and Hospital News .




AEROSPACE
Israel considers buying its own 'Air Force One'
by Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) Dec 15, 2013


A week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly chose to miss Nelson Mandela's memorial service because of travel costs, Israeli ministers voted Sunday to consider buying an Israeli equivalent of "Air Force One."

They approved creating a committee to consider buying a plane for the premier and president, "as is customary in many other countries," a government statement said, floating the possibility of a shared aircraft for Netanyahu and globe-trotting President Shimon Peres.

The most famous official jet is commonly known as Air Force One, which is actually the call sign for whatever official aircraft the US president uses.

"Currently, planes are chartered from commercial companies, the cost of which frequently runs into millions of shekels (hundreds of thousands of dollars/euros) per trip," the statement said.

Last week, media reported that Netanyahu cancelled plans to fly to Johannesburg for the Mandela memorial -- attended by nearly 100 world leaders -- over projected costs of around seven million shekels for transport and security.

Netanyahu has been criticised and ridiculed over his spending, including a double bed installed on the plane that flew him to London in April for the funeral of Britain's Margaret Thatcher on a trip that cost $127,000 (98,000 euros).

In March, he was deeply embarrassed by reports that his family enjoyed a state-funded 10,000-shekel ($2,740/2,000 euro) ice cream allowance, prompting him to cancel it hurriedly.

And in May, Haaretz daily reported that taxpayers paid 318,000 shekels last year for upkeep of Netanyahu's private seaside home, including 85,000 shekels for water to fill a swimming pool.

Cabinet secretary Avihai Mandelblit said Sunday that purchasing a dedicated aircraft for the premier and president would be a wise buy and in the interests of security.

"This is a national security need that will serve the State of Israel at least for several decades," the government statement quoted him as saying.

"Today the prime minister's plane lacks proper communications equipment, which the head of state for almost every advanced country has," it added. "The finance ministry has also previously determined that purchasing a plane is economical."

.


Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News





AEROSPACE
British hopes of $10B Emirates Typhoon deal sink
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UPI) Dec 13, 2013
Britain's high-profile drive to sell Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets in the Persian Gulf seems to be running into trouble, with the United Arab Emirates reportedly having second thoughts about acquiring as many as 60 of the aircraft. If Emirates' planned $10 billion procurement to replace its aging Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-9 jets to counter regional rival Iran is still on, that cou ... read more


AEROSPACE
Desperate Syrians find little comfort in new homes

Japan to spend $970 mn on nuclear soil store: report

Kerry to tour typhoon-hit Philippines, Vietnam

NASA Developing Natural Hazard Warning Systems

AEROSPACE
Galileo achieves its first airborne tracking

'Smart' wig navigates by GPS, monitors brainwaves

CIA, Pentagon trying to hinder construction of GLONASS stations in US

GPS 3 Prototype Communicates With GPS Constellation

AEROSPACE
Evolution of 'third party punishment'

Not all species age the same, and humans are outside the norm

Simple mathematical formula describes human struggles

Not all species age the same; humans may be outliers

AEROSPACE
US mulls lifting protected status for grizzly bear

How Bats Took Over the Night

ASU researchers discover chameleons use colorful language to communicate

A new species of horse, over 4 million years old

AEROSPACE
Plague 'epidemic' kills 39 in Madagascar: government

Resistant flu virus keeps contagiousness

Hong Kong quarantines 19 people over second bird flu case

Spanish hospital to trial new HIV treatment

AEROSPACE
Human rights a matter for China, not US: Beijing

US urges China to free Nobel laureate

Stuffed toy wolf becomes anti-government symbol in Hong Kong

China bans shark fin soup from official receptions

AEROSPACE
Mexican military seeks to oust cartel from port

Spain jails six Somalis for piracy

Pirates kidnap two American sailors off Nigeria

Seaman Guard owner to fight arrest of ship's crew in India

AEROSPACE
China manufacturing growth slows in December: HSBC

China November industrial output growth slows to 10.0%

Millions of hidden share trades to be revealed

Outside View: U.S. economy adds 203,000 jobs




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement