Israeli media reported Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a meeting with opposition leader Yair Lapid in an effort to persuade him to agree to a discussion of the budget bill aimed at allocating large sums to Israel’s security establishment.
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The move comes amid a financial crisis facing the Israeli military. On Sept. 3, the Israeli public broadcaster reported that the crisis had begun to affect the military’s ability to operate in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Lebanon.
According to the broadcaster, the crisis coincides with shortages of spare parts and delays in transferring billions of shekels to the “defense” budget, in addition to the financial burden resulting from Israel’s military campaigns in Lebanon and Iran.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu requested a meeting with Lapid as part of the regular security briefing held between the prime minister and the opposition leader.
Israeli law requires the prime minister to hold a security briefing with the opposition leader at least once a month, according to the channel.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 7 reported that the meeting is expected to take place later Monday, with the unusual participation of Tamir Yadai, deputy chief of staff of the Israeli military.
It said Netanyahu seeks during the meeting to persuade Lapid to approve a discussion of the budget bill, with the aim of transferring large sums to Israel’s security establishment.
The channel added that the opposition had rejected requests to this effect in recent days, arguing that the funds needed by the security establishment should instead be provided from the government coalition’s budgets.
Financial Crisis
According to the Israeli public broadcaster, the original military budget for 2026 stood at about 143 billion shekels ($47.3 billion).
Netanyahu later ordered it increased to 183 billion shekels ($60.6 billion) following Israel’s military campaign against Iran and Lebanon.
A first installment of the increase, worth 15 billion shekels ($5 billion), was scheduled to be transferred last August, but the broadcaster said the funds had not been transferred.
It added that the Knesset Finance Committee is expected to discuss the transfer of only 11 billion shekels ($3.7 billion).
Military sources warned, according to the broadcaster, that the continued funding gap is limiting the military’s ability to operate in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.
The crisis is also affecting the military’s preparations for a potential confrontation with Iran, it added.
The broadcaster further warned that failure to transfer the requested funds could prevent the military from maintaining minimum operational continuity and troop readiness.
Relations between Netanyahu and Lapid have been tense over several issues, including the government’s refusal to establish a formal commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
The opposition also opposes the government’s efforts to pass legislation exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews, known as Haredim, from military service.
(Anadolu Agency)
