Israel | 275 billion additives over 10 years: the Nagel Commission published recommendations on the defense budget

The commission on the formation of the defense budget for the next ten years, led by Professor Yaakov Nagel, handed over its final report to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to the recommendation, the budget of the Ministry of Defense should be increased by 133 billion shekels in addition to the 82 billion supplement that the Ministry of Finance has already guaranteed to the Ministry of Defense.

Thus, the recommended addition to the budget of the Ministry of Defense is 215 billion shekels, without taking into account the increase in the budget of the department for the rehabilitation of the wounded, which is estimated at 60 billion shekels over the next 10 years due to the sharp increase in the number of wounded military personnel.

Thus, the share of the defense budget in the country’s GDP in the next 10 years will increase by approximately 1.5% to 5% of GDP, more than the Ministry of Finance expected and less than the Ministry of Defense required.

Of the 133 billion shekels that are discussed in the commission’s report, 80 billion are recommended to be spent on strengthening the IDF (purchasing weapons, etc.). The IDF will be able to distribute the remainder between strengthening its power and current security needs.

Among the specific recommendations are the addition of 8,000 wages for young contract soldiers to reduce the burden on reservists, the abolition of the link between police salaries and military salaries, the expansion of the choice for contract soldiers between a higher salary now or a budget pension later, and the addition of 250 wages in the department of rehabilitation of the wounded.