20 thoughts on “Israel New Air Force 1 to Cost $70-Million, Other Details Censored – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
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  1. It is nice to be able to read details about the project which Israeli papers don’t publish.

    But then you miscorrectly wrote that Israel uses an 707. The truth is, Israel has no Air Force One .

    Like the YNet article above says – “Israeli heads of state have in the past relied on Boeing 707 planes for their travels. However, this tradition was discontinued due to the planes becoming outdated and their high fuel consumption.” The 130K$ expense was for a whole trip, fuel, pilots etc’ not renovation. According to this article (http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Israel-to-get-its-own-version-of-Air-Force-One-351270), last time the 707 was used was in 2001. According to this one (http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/israel-air-force-one-state-considering-official-plane-1.4583), in hasn’t been used for a several years prior to 2009.

    I don’t think we need one but regardless, at least now the facts are clear.

    1. @ Danny: Israel leases a plane from El Al for travel by the prime minister. I don’t care if you call it Air Force 1 or Aunt Betty’s Buggy.

      You are wrong about the bed as Time Magazine makes clear:

      Now, Israel’s Channel 10 TV reported over the weekend that Netanyahu himself spent $127,000 in public funds on a custom-built sleeping chamber

      You’d know that if you’d read the article linked in this post. Which is why I tell commenters disagreeing with me to read ALL THE LINKED ARTICLES before commenting. It will save you making mistakes and save me having to waste my time pointing out your errors.

      at least now the facts are clear.

      Yeah, as clear as mud!

      1. @Richard – “A year ago or so Sarah Netanyahu became so disgusted with the shabby sleepy arrangements aboard the current Israeli Air Force One (a ‘mere’ Boeing 707) that she spent $130,000 to build a and install new bed.”

        It isn’t about name calling but about facts. Israel currently doesn’t own a plane for PM/president/ministers transport. And it didn’t use a 707 for over a decade for such task.

        Not only you haven’t mentioned Israeli government currently leases planes for this, but you presented it as if it owns one.

        I deserve a hearty THANK YOU for making the facts clear, not a snort

        1. @ Danny: you’re the hasbara police. Your job is to find errors. So you deserve no thanks for anything. I note no apology for my exposing your own error about the cost of the bed. How about this: when you apologize for your reign of error & promise you’ll read every link on every post on which you comment BEFORE you comment, then I’ll thank you for catching one minor error here.

          1. Deal – I have made a mistake. The 127k is for the bed itself. The Time article isn’t super clear about it but here (http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-slammed-for-spending-127000-on-bed-for-flight-to-london/) one can see the total cost grew from 300k to 427k which clarifies that number.

            The error you made isn’t just a silly detail in the whole picture. It is the whole picture. Bibi isn’t looking to replace ‘his’ current jet with a newer, nicer one but rather buy one after Israel retired the old 707 from this mission. Can’t you see how that changes everything???

            Personally I believe it doesn’t make any financial sense and will end up costing more of my tax money. Trump can buy whatever plane he wants with his billions. Bibi shouldn’t.

          2. @Danny: No, it changes nothing. The government leased a perfectly serviceable plane from El Al that serves this purpose well. Instead Bibi proposes spending $140-million on a vanity boondoggle so Sarah can have a good night’s sleep & fly in luxury. it’s obscene.

    2. Israel doesn’t lease one specific aircraft, rather every trip requires a new tender be issued. That works for mid-range flights where all three Israeli airlines can compete, but for long-range flights, only ElAl is capable of flying, and Israel’s media has in the past alleged that the airline took advantage of the monopoly to charge unreasonable prices.

      Danny’s correction is not about “hasbara”, and so calling him that or other names detracts from the anti-Bibi case. You’re human Richard, and made a mistake; correct it, thank him, move on, no?

      FYI the approved budget for the aircraft is $47.9 M, so that is at least somewhat less expensive than initially thought.

      1. You’re human Richard, and made a mistake; correct it, thank him, move on, no?

        No. Nor do I need concern trolls weighing in on the matter. When I need advice on making apologies or admitting mistakes I’ll ask you. But I didn’t.

        And if the budget for the plane has been lowered (you’ve provided no source so I don’t know that your claim is accurate), that’s very easy to explain. It aroused so much outrage that Bibi told them to lower the price. They did. Now the extra $25M they lopped off the price will be padded into a different budget item or line. The vendor will make it up in different ways.

  2. Richard, it’s like your just looking to find something wrong each and every day with Israel

    . I wonder what the two airforce one planes cost including all the staff and maintenance.

    Now the truth is Its me who is an idiot. Why would I as somebody who loves Israel be reading your blog….

    1. @Moshe:

      Now the truth is Its me who is an idiot. Why would I as somebody who loves Israel be reading your blog….

      Truer words were never spoken!!

      As for why you’re reading this blog, your guess would be as good as mine…

  3. The above picture isn’t from “current Israeli Air Force 1” but a plane that was leased from Arkia as you can see on the seats.

    Is the lower picture from the actual new airplane?

  4. The story may be entirely different from what you are focused on.
    The plane is a 767-300, the same model that ELAL is retiring.
    Is this one of the retired aircraft?
    If so, is the price, the correct price for a 30 year old plane?
    If not, who benefits from the difference and why?

  5. “Cramped quarters of current Israeli Air Force 1 has trouble containing the ample girth of Bibi, Sarah, and his ministers”

    With those faces it should be called “Derp Force 1”, Lieberman looks like he is playing a video game beyond the picture frame.

  6. check the boeing 737 registration N50TC that landed in Tel-Aviv on Aug the 3rd but since then flew back to usa and other airports – I think that this is the misterious new israeli airforce 1

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