JERUSALEM - Following an Israeli newspaper's scoop, the country's prime minister has "frozen" his annual ice cream budget.

Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Sunday said once he was made aware of the state-financed contract issued to purchase ice cream from his favourite Jerusalem parlour he ordered it stopped immediately. Netanyahu called the contract "excessive and unacceptable."

The Israel economic publication "Calcalist" published a list of items on the prime minister's annual expense budget, including $2,700 for ice cream.

Following the publication, Israelis flocked to the "Metudela" ice cream shop near the prime minister's residence to check out his alleged favouriteflavours: pistachio and vanilla.

The prime minister's office said the cost included hosting high-ranking officials at the official residence. Still, it offered a rare peek into the personal life of the private Netanyahu.

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