Eyal Gabay. 'Reserve service'
Photo: Alex Kolomoisky
'Defense budget to be considerably slashed'
Outgoing PM's Office Director-General Eyal Gabay tells Calcalist conference that Netanyahu, Barak agree defense budget must be cut. Winds of war begin to blow every time government submits budget for following year, he says
The defense budget will be slashed considerably, outgoing Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office Eyal Gabay told the central economic conference held Wednesday by Israel's leading financial newspaper Calcalist.
"This is my 'reserve service' for the Prime Minister's Office," he added.
"The budget allotted for the defense system must be cut – the prime minister and ministers of defense and finance agree on this," said Gabay who is expected to leave office in the coming days.
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Gabay explained that "every year, there is a ritual in Israel – winds of war begin to blow in the government, and there is the inevitable former military official who tells us about new warfare systems that enemy armies have acquired, new extraordinary military units in enemy armies and classified intelligence reports about the enemy's hidden horrible intentions.
"On the other hand, lo and behold, the pres reports on the defense chiefs' pay slips, on the size of the IDF's acquisition delegation. Why does this happen each July? Why are there always 'winds of war' blowing in Israel every July?" asked Gabay, offering an answer: "The reason is that July is when the government prepares the budget for the following year."
Addressing the social protest, Gabay said: "We are on course to a major change. The social protest set in motion large issues that everyone knew had to be addressed but due to the circumstances, were not."
Gabay explained that the financial resources are needed to respond to the social distress. "The economic parameters will not be thrown under the bus – budgetary allocations for one issue will be cut from another budgetary item. This can be carried out only if the defense budget is considerably slashed."
Nonetheless, Gabay has reservations: "One must appreciate the grave responsibility. The Trajtenberg Committee members are no defense specialists. If rockets rain on Israel – no one is going to pick up the phone to Professor Trajtenberg.
"At the end of the day, the decision makers hold the responsibility but we will see a reduction of the defense budget – the defense system realizes this and Professor Trajtenberg has worked it out as will."
Click here to read this report in Hebrew
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