MKs approve extra NIS 500m. for military budget
09/13/2012 04:22
Rise is part of a NIS 3 billion increase to the 2012 budget proposed by the government in January.
New IDF recruits Photo: IDF Spokesman’s Office
The Knesset Finance Committee on Wednesday approved an NIS 500 million increase
to the 2012 military budget, which brings the budget’s total to approximately
NIS 60.3 billion.
The rise is part of a NIS 3 billion increase to the
2012 budget proposed by the government in January, which has yet to be approved
by the Knesset Finance Committee.
The Defense Ministry will still push
for the remaining NIS 2.5 billion supplement to the budget to be paid by the end
of the year, a ministry official said Wednesday.
During the committee
meeting, Finance Ministry officials called for cutting the NIS 2.5 billion
increase, but the committee did not grant the demand.
Also on Wednesday,
the finance committee approved a government decision to slash NIS 286 million
from other government ministries, largely to pay for the military budget
increase.
During a cabinet meeting in mid-August, Prime Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu said that changes taking place in the region demand a
reassessment of the country’s defense needs.
“The threats directed at the
State of Israel are changing and we need to be prepared for that,” Netanyahu
said.
“We need to ensure that the security Israeli citizens have enjoyed
in the past three-and-a-half years continues through the changing
conditions.”
Herb Keinon contributed to this report.