BICOM

A day after the government approved extensive socioeconomic reforms which envision a reduction of the defence budget, the IDF’s top brass have voiced concern over the impact of the decision. Yesterday the IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz indicated that he would fight against the planned budget cuts to defence. “I will not allow the defenders of the nation to come under attack,” Gantz said yesterday. “The IDF must remain steadfast and trained in order for it to be at its peak readiness to defend the State and its citizens at any given moment,” Gantz added.

The cabinet yesterday approved the Trajtenberg report on improving social-economic policies in the country that will include a transferring of 3 billion shekels from defence to social welfare.

Meanwhile, senior IDF officials told Haaretz yesterday that due to the size of the budget cuts the government would have to reduce the IDF’s order of battle and the IDF will struggle to maintain its units at their current level of readiness. “The IDF won’t be able to promise that [training] will continue in a proper manner for more than a year, and even this year isn’t certain,” an IDF officer said. After the second Lebanon war the IDF significantly increased the level and intensity of training. In particular, emphasise was made on the combat reediness of reserve forces. This required extensive expenditure that is now under threat.