Finance Ministry Slams IDF Spending, Cites Budgetary Risks
Israel's Ministry of Finance has sharply criticized the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) over what it describes as opaque spending practices and warned that continued massive funding could jeopardize the nation's treasury. The dispute centers on disagreements regarding the army's financing, with the Finance Ministry rejecting claims of insufficient allocation. They stated that the agreed-upon defense budget has been awaiting approval from Knesset committees for over a month. According to the ministry, the defense budget has nearly tripled in the past two years, and the state has continued to meet its obligations despite significantly increased expenditures.
The core issue, according to finance officials, is not solely the budget's size but the IDF's approach to managing funds. They allege the military undertakes large financial commitments exceeding approved limits, creating a "parallel budget" lacking transparency and oversight. The ministry cautioned that persistent demands for billions without improved efficiency threaten Israel's economic stability, calling the approach of simply injecting more state funds "strategic blindness." If this continues, they warn, the state could face financial shortages during future large-scale conflicts and potentially need to cut spending on healthcare, social services, and infrastructure.
This conflict follows previous reports in "Maariv" detailing the IDF's readiness issues and funding problems. These reports indicated shortages in spare parts halting tank battalion operations, a deficit of hundreds of Humvees, and supply problems for various units. The intelligence corps reportedly deleted files to free up cloud storage space. The defense establishment also warned of potential halts in production lines at Elbit, including Merkava tank ammunition and artillery shells. Separately, Shas party leader Aryeh Deri commented that the IDF does not need Haredi soldiers, claiming their service causes the army significant problems.
