Defense Establishment Demands Billions Promised by Netanyahu
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Israel's defense establishment is pressing the government to release billions of shekels promised by Prime Minister Netanyahu but not yet transferred, leading to political disputes over funding sources. A separate agreement has been reached on next year's defense budget.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Defense establishment demands promised billions from Netanyahu.
- Funds are stuck in committee, impacting defense industries.
- Netanyahu and Lapid clashed over funding sources.
- Lapid proposed cutting coalition funds instead of raising taxes.
- Next year's defense budget set at 112 billion shekels.
Israel's defense establishment is demanding that the political leadership release tens of billions of shekels promised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that have not yet been transferred. Sources told Kan News that the funds are held up in the Finance Committee and have not progressed since the previous Knesset session ended. The defense industries are reporting billions in debt from the Ministry of Defense, which could impact their production lines and operations.
The likelihood of the funds being released currently is slim. The issue became a point of contention during a briefing between Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid, which unusually included the serving head of the Planning Directorate. Netanyahu requested to amend the budget law to allocate more funds to the defense sector, but Lapid refused, stating he supported the proposal but not if it meant raising taxes on the middle class and reservists. Lapid suggested canceling coalition funds allocated to ultra-Orthodox draft evasion instead.
Following the exchange, the Likud party accused Lapid of "abandoning Israel's security for cheap political reasons." Lapid's office responded by calling the Likud's statement a lie, reiterating Lapid's support for transferring funds to the defense establishment but insisting the source should not be increased taxes on the public, but rather coalition funds.
Separately, an agreement was reached on next year's defense budget of 112 billion shekels. This comes after the elimination of Ali Taher, following which the IDF will reduce its forces along the 'green line'.
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