Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud) has filed a libel suit for 100,000 shekels ($26,000) against Channel Two television for a report alleging that he illegally used government money to allow his wife to accompany him on trips outside the country between 2003 and 2006. The television program, hosted by journalist Yair Lapid, claimed that he violated a ruling by the Knesset legal advisors.

The Knesset Speaker demanded an apology for what he said were patently false statements. “There never was any legal advice by the Knesset attorneys that government funds cannot be used for the accompaniment of a Knesset Member’s spouse on official business."