The government early Wednesday morning approved an increase of approximately 30 billion shekels to the defense budget. The move will be funded through a 3% across-the-board cut to the budgets of government ministries.
As part of the reductions, the Education Ministry’s budget will be cut by about 193 million shekels, the Health Ministry by approximately 139 million shekels, and the Welfare Ministry by roughly 90 million shekels. The Transportation Ministry’s budget, including future infrastructure projects, will be reduced by about 600 million shekels.
The government also approved an additional across-the-board cut to fund the National Security Ministry headed by Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Ministers Ze’ev Elkin and Gideon Sa’ar voted against the decision.
On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a joint statement regarding the efforts to accelerate approval of the state budget, which will include a significant increase for defense spending while removing certain benefits that had been planned for citizens.
Minister Smotrich explained: “Against the backdrop of the necessary existential war we are waging to destroy the Iranian axis of evil, we are now moving toward the immediate passage of the state budget, at the center of which will be the required increase to the defense budget to finance the war.”
He added, “To succeed in this mission, we are setting aside issues that are currently in dispute and that are not appropriate for wartime. We are putting aside the Draft Law, which will not be advanced at this time, as well as several reforms for which broad agreement has not yet been reached. War is a time for unity and national responsibility. I thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, and all members of the government and the coalition.”
Smotrich said that “immediate passage of the budget will allow us, with God’s help, to win the war, provide better services to Israel’s citizens in many areas, shape a new regional order in the Middle East with the State of Israel as a regional and global power, and place Israel on a path of accelerated growth, development, and prosperity in the coming years. Together, Mr. Prime Minister, with God’s help, we will win the war and succeed economically.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu added: “We are in a campaign against a cruel enemy that seeks to destroy us. We had no choice but to enter this battle. But it comes at a high cost. That is why we must allocate a special budget during the war, amounting to tens of billions of shekels, to support the defense budget and the war effort.”
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