Israeli Government to Approve $700 Million Budget Cut for Urgent Defense Purchases
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
The Israeli government will approve a 2.6 billion shekel budget cut on Sunday for urgent defense procurement. This cut will be a flat 5% reduction across all ministries, impacting education, national security, health, and welfare budgets. Approximately 1 billion shekels from a plan for the Arab community will be redirected to purchasing Apache helicopters, while coalition funds remain untouched.
The story in 7 lines · by baba
- The Israeli government will approve a 2.6 billion shekel budget cut on Sunday for urgent defense procurement.
- This cut represents a second budgetary reduction within four days.
- The reduction will be a flat 5% from each ministry's development and procurement budget.
- Major civilian ministries like Education, National Security, Health, and Welfare will face significant cuts.
- One billion shekels from a plan for the Arab community will be reallocated to Apache helicopter purchases.
- No funds will be cut from coalition budgets, despite recommendations.
- The defense procurement is described as 'urgent'.
The Israeli government is set to approve a second significant budget cut within four days this coming Sunday, totaling 2.6 billion shekels (approximately $700 million USD). This measure is intended to fund urgent defense procurement. Unlike a previous cut of over 1 billion shekels, which was largely drawn from a five-year plan for the Arab community, this new cut will be a flat reduction across all government ministries.
Each ministry's development and procurement budget will be reduced by approximately 5%. Major civilian ministries will see substantial cuts: the Ministry of Education will lose 285 million shekels, the Ministry of National Security 225 million shekels, the Ministry of Health 150 million shekels, and the Ministry of Welfare 140 million shekels. Approximately 1 billion shekels from the five-year plan for the Arab community will be reallocated to the purchase of Apache helicopters.
Notably, the recommendation from senior professional officials at the Ministry of Finance to source the required defense funds from coalition monies was not adopted. No funds will be cut from coalition budgets.
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