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Israel likely to approve largest military budget in its history

May 4, 2014 at 11:21 am

A Palestinian news website has cited a report by Israel Hayom stating that in 2015 the Israeli army is set to receive its largest military budget since the establishment of the state.


Israel Hayom previously reported that the defence establishment and Israeli occupation forces were asking for “more than the NIS 52 billion [$15 billion] budget they were given for 2015”, and that they expected “an addition of billions of shekels.”

The newspaper added that the government was forming a committee “to set the defence budget for 2016-25, as well as the actual defence budget for 2015”.

According to Al-Resalah news website, the newspaper is now quoting informed sources close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party, which controls the Finance Ministry, as saying that the army will likely receive NIS 61 billion ($17.5 billion) in funding for the 2015 fiscal year.

The paper also reportedly pointed out that the committee concerned with determining the defence budget is set to hold its first meeting later this month to begin deliberations on the proposed military budget for 2016-2020, and will present its recommendations in December 2014 based on the occupation’s military needs and foreseen threats.

Previously, Israeli media had suggested that the defence budget would be facing cuts in the coming years; however, this was reported to be a tactic to pressure the Finance Ministry.