NEWSru IsraelPolitics12:23

Israel Approves $700 Million Budget Cuts for Defense Needs

Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba

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The Israeli government approved budget cuts totaling 2.6 billion shekels from civilian ministries on October 18 to fund urgent defense procurements. The cuts, amounting to 4.9% of ministry spending, will impact transportation, education, social welfare, and health. This decision comes after a recent allocation of 1.03 billion shekels for Apache helicopters, bringing total defense spending increases to over 3.6 billion shekels in a week. The Ministry of Defense cited national security concerns for the urgent, classified purchases.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Israeli government cut 2.6 billion shekels from ministry budgets for defense needs.
The cuts represent 4.9% of civilian ministries' spending on acquisitions and development.
Transportation, education, social welfare, and health ministries will see budget reductions.
The decision follows a 1.03 billion shekel allocation for 12 Apache helicopters.
Total defense spending increases exceed 3.6 billion shekels in the past week.
The Ministry of Defense cited urgent, classified procurements impacting national security.

Israel Approves $700 Million Budget Cuts for Defense Needs — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The Israeli government approved on Sunday, October 18, a reduction of 2.6 billion shekels (approximately $700 million) from the budgets of various ministries to fund urgent defense procurements. This cut represents 4.9% of the ministries' spending on acquisitions and development. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was not present at the meeting.

The austerity measures will affect all civilian ministries, including transportation, which will lose about 423 million shekels; education, with a cut of 171.5 million shekels; social welfare, losing 137.8 million shekels; and health, with a reduction of 40.7 million shekels. Additionally, approvals for multi-year contracts will be reduced by 2.15 billion shekels. Coalition funds, however, will remain untouched.

This decision follows closely after the allocation of 1.03 billion shekels for the purchase of 12 Apache combat helicopters, largely funded by a program for the development of the Arab sector. In total, over 3.6 billion shekels have been earmarked for additional defense purchases within the past week.

Dudi Kopel, the Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, cautioned about potential severe consequences for government operations due to the sequestration and pointed to alternative funding sources. He also highlighted the need for restraint in budget decisions immediately before the Knesset elections scheduled for October 27.

The Ministry of Defense has stressed the urgency of these classified procurements, warning that any delay could compromise national security. No legal obstacles to the approval of the decision were identified.