There was high drama behind the scenes in the discussion of the 2015 state budget. Minister of Finance Yair Lapid is unwilling to grant the Ministry of Defense's demand for an NIS 11 billion budget supplement for a military buildup following Operation Protective Edge. All he is willing to concede is a NIS 2.5 billion supplement for salary and pension costs.
The battle of the budget continues with mutual accusations. After the Ministry of Finance again emphasized today that it would grant a defense budget supplement without raising taxes, a senior defense source said the state budget was "a feat of magicianship bearing no relation to reality."
The source asserted that despite the Finance Ministry's promise, "No supplement is involved; the total budget is less than the 2014 defense budget excluding the cost of Operation Protective Edge. The Finance Ministry is gambling with the security of Israelis, and thinks it's a game. This is the highest degree of irresponsibility."
"They are causing a continual and dangerous erosion of the defense establishment's ability and preparedness, and an extremely severe blow to the ability of the Defense Ministry and the IDF's ability to handle the ominous threats on our borders, including global Jihad, IS, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist group threatening Israel, not to mention the Iranian nuclear program," the source added.
He continued, "In order to cope with the changing and complex threats and attack the terrorist and their sponsors, investments must be made in high-quality intelligence and precise weaponry, and that costs money. If you want a topnotch army able to enter built-up areas and fight and win there, you must realize that we require trained and expert fighters in the regular army and in the reserves, and that costs money. If you want tanks and APCs that protect our soldiers with the Trophy system, you undoubtedly realize that it costs money. If you want Iron Dome to protect Israelis against missile and rocket barrages on our population centers, you must realize that it costs money."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 14, 2014
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