Yedioth: Former president's Clinton Global Initiative received $500,000 for 45-minute speech at upcoming event honoring Peres.
By GLOBES, JPOST.COM STAFFBibi netanyahu(photo credit: JPost Staff)
Former President Bill Clinton’s foundation received half a million dollars in exchange for a 45-minute speech that he is scheduled to deliver during an event honoring President Shimon Peres later this month, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported in Sunday editions.The popular tabloid reported that the former president’s foundation was paid the sum equivalent to nearly NIS 2 million as early as a year ago in order to ensure his participation in the June 17 gala in Rehovot. According to Yedioth, the money was donated by a number of contributors to the Peres Academic Center, most prominent among them the Jewish National Fund.Yedioth reported that the payment was made to Clinton’s international affairs outreach venture, the Clinton Global Initiative. JNF is involved in the funding of the event because it will be hosting another conference featuring donors from over 40 countries.“The Peres Academic Center in Rehovot was the one that invited Clinton, came to financial terms with him, and paid him,” a JNF spokesperson said in a statement.A spokesperson for the Peres Academic Center in Rehovot said in response: “President Bill Clinton will be the guest of honor at a special event that will take place at the PAC in Rehovot. The event on the campus will be attended by the president, government ministers, and public officials. Contrary to media reports, it was decided that there will be no fundraising at this event, and every participant will not be required to pay for his attendance.”
