Defense Minister Urges Opposition Leader to Back Security Budget Unconditionally

Defense Minister Israel Katz has directly appealed to opposition leader Yair Lapid to support an urgent supplementary defense budget without political conditions. Katz emphasized the critical need for increased funding for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) due to dramatic security challenges, including enhanced payments for reservists, maintaining border security zones, acquiring munitions, restoring IDF readiness, and bolstering domestic defense industries.

Katz argued that the current regional threats necessitate immediate action and that delaying necessary resources could directly impact the IDF's preparedness and the security of Israeli citizens. He stated that the required funds are available in the treasury and do not necessitate tax increases, but require formal Knesset legislation. He contrasted Lapid's current stance with his support for COVID-19 related expenditures when Lapid was in opposition, expressing disappointment that Lapid is now refusing a similar request for defense.

The defense minister's call comes after a security briefing between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lapid, which devolved into a dispute over the state budget. Lapid had demanded the cancellation of coalition funds and budgets for the ultra-Orthodox sector as a condition for the opposition's support.

In response, the Likud party accused Lapid of misleading the public and prioritizing political considerations over national security. They asserted that state revenues have exceeded expectations, leading to a lower-than-anticipated deficit, making it possible to increase the defense budget without raising taxes. The Likud also dismissed Lapid's claims about coalition and ultra-Orthodox funding, stating that the sums involved are far smaller than alleged and that Lapid is "abandoning the security of the State of Israel for cheap political reasons."

Netanyahu had initially approached Lapid to reopen the budget law to allocate billions of shekels more to the defense establishment. Lapid offered principled backing for strengthening the IDF but conditioned parliamentary support on the cancellation of what he termed "corrupt coalition funds" and billions allocated to the ultra-Orthodox sector, which he linked to "tax evasion."