Netanyahu, Dali Lama Won't Be Attending Mandela Memorial Service

Israeli prime minister citing costs, it is unclear why the Dali Lama will not be attending

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled plans to attend memorial events for the late South African leader Nelson Mandela, citing travel and security costs, Israeli media reported Sunday.

Netanyahu, whose spending habits have recently come under fire, cited costs of about $2 million to travel to South Africa for the memorial, Haaretz reports.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Dalai Lama said Sunday that he won't travel to South Africa either, AFP reports. It wasn't immediately clear why, but the Dalai Lama has been visas to visit the country twice since 2009.