[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, who recently visited the United States to sign normalization of diplomatic relations with Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, reportedly drew criticism from U.S. officials for bringing a large amount of laundry, according to U.S. media. While the Israeli side denied the claims as absurd, it is known that they acknowledged past controversies related to laundry.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 23rd (local time), a U.S. official who requested anonymity criticized Netanyahu, saying, "He is the only foreign leader who brings bags full of dirty clothes when visiting the United States," and added, "Every time I experienced his visits, he was always known to bring bags containing dirty clothes, and it became clear that this was an intentional act."
In response, the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. issued a statement saying, "The controversy over laundry is an attempt to dilute the achievements of diplomatic normalization with Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain," emphasizing, "During this visit, no dry cleaning was requested, only a few shirts and pajamas were washed, and only ironing was done for suits for public meetings and the Prime Minister's wife's dresses. This is less than during previous visits." Prime Minister Netanyahu also claimed it was a "witch hunt by prosecutors and the media."
Previously, Netanyahu was involved in a controversy related to laundry. In 2018, Nir Hefetz, an aide who was close to Prime Minister Netanyahu, claimed, "The Prime Minister's wife carries 4 to 5 bags full of dirty clothes every time she departs," and "The Prime Minister's Office has been hiding all kinds of expenses," which caused a stir.
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