Israeli Government Approves $700 Million Defense Spending Cut

By עידן ארץ

Translated & summarized from Globes by baba

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Hebrew · 12 newsrooms covering

The Israeli government is expected to approve a NIS 2.6 billion cut to its budget for defense procurement. This decision follows a prior cut to Arab society development funds to finance Apache helicopters. The cuts will impact various ministries, with the Finance Ministry having previously warned of civilian costs. The defense budget remains the largest, despite current IDF focus on force buildup rather than active warfare.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

The Israeli government will vote on a NIS 2.6 billion cut to defense procurement budgets.
The funds will finance additional defense acquisitions, following a previous helicopter purchase.
The Ministry of Finance warned that defense budget increases come at the expense of citizens.
The Ministry of Transportation, regulatory bodies, and education ministry will be heavily impacted.
The current defense budget is NIS 112 billion, the largest by a significant margin.

Israeli Government Approves $700 Million Defense Spending Cut — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The Israeli government is set to approve a sweeping NIS 2.6 billion (approximately $700 million) cut across all government budgets for defense procurement. This decision follows a previous vote last Thursday to reduce NIS 1 billion from the budget for developing Arab society between 2027 and 2029, which was intended to fund the purchase of 12 Apache helicopters for the defense establishment. Despite their high cost relative to capabilities, the defense establishment insisted on acquiring these attack helicopters.

The proposed resolution, to be voted on today, mandates a 4.9% across-the-board cut from the remaining 2026 government budget, generating the NIS 2.6 billion for additional defense acquisitions. Government ministries expected to be most affected include the Ministry of Transportation, regulatory authorities such as the Electricity Authority and the Securities Authority, the Ministry of National Security, and the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Finance has previously warned that "budget additions for the defense establishment will come at the expense of citizens." The current defense budget stands at NIS 112 billion, making it by far the largest budget, even though there has been no intense warfare since the "House of Iron" operation against Iran with U.S. cooperation. The IDF is currently focused on force buildup and extensive procurement. This latest procurement is classified, preventing public discussion on its necessity versus its cost, with its importance to be debated solely within the Ministerial Committee on Armaments.