Israel Approves NIS 2.6 Billion Cut for Military Purchases
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
The Israeli government approved a NIS 2.6 billion budget cut from various ministries for 2026 to fund urgent military purchases. This decision affects education, transportation, and national security budgets, excluding coalition funds. The government also plans to cut budgets for Hamas trials and faces opposition from several ministries. The cuts require Knesset Finance Committee approval.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's government approved a NIS 2.6 billion budget cut for 2026 to fund urgent military purchases.
- The decision impacts education, transportation, and national security ministry budgets.
- Funds for the governing coalition were explicitly excluded from the budget reductions.
- This follows a prior cut of NIS 1.03 billion for Arab community development for military needs.
- A separate plan to prosecute Hamas members will also involve budget cuts and new infrastructure.
- Several ministries have voiced opposition to the proposed budget reductions.
The Israeli government on Sunday approved an additional 4.9% cut to government ministry budgets for 2026, totaling NIS 2.6 billion, to fund what it described as "urgent security purchases." This decision impacts the budgets of the education, transportation, and national security ministries, while exempting funds allocated to the governing coalition. The move follows a government decision last week to cut NIS 1.03 billion from budgets designated for Arab community development between 2027 and 2029, also for military purposes, as part of efforts to bolster the defense budget.
Despite controversy over cutting essential ministry budgets without clear spending priorities and excluding coalition funds from reductions, the government's discussion of the decision reportedly took only minutes. The education and higher education ministry will see a reduction of approximately NIS 354 million, the transportation ministry will lose NIS 423 million, and the National Security Ministry, headed by Itamar Ben-Gvir, will face a NIS 224 million cut.
The implementation of these cuts is contingent on approval by the Knesset Finance Committee, requiring consensus between the coalition and opposition. This comes after the government and the Finance Committee approved an additional NIS 15 billion for the defense budget last month to finance further military acquisitions.
In a separate move, ministers are set to vote on another 0.5% budget cut from ministries starting in 2027, intended to fund a plan to prosecute Hamas "elite elements." This plan, estimated to cost NIS 776 million from 2027 to 2033, includes infrastructure for mass trials and the creation of approximately 370 jobs, primarily within the Israel Prison Service. The proposal faces warnings that the prison service may not be ready for trials by early 2028, and several ministries, including defense, environmental protection, agriculture, social welfare, and housing, have expressed opposition to the additional proposed cuts.
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