Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Wednesday, saying the Defense Ministry 'routinely exceeds its approved budget and the state budget, without oversight or audit.' Smotrich rejected the ministry's claims of insufficient funding, asserting that his ministry operates according to the law and that defense capabilities are not affected.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich escalated his public dispute with the Defense Ministry on Wednesday, accusing the ministry of routinely exceeding its budget without oversight. In a letter to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman, Smotrich wrote that 'there is no saving of even one shekel when it comes to Israel's security' and rejected Defense Ministry claims that funds are not being transferred. He insisted that the Finance Ministry is acting according to the law and that there is no impact on the ability to complete defense stockpiles or purchase munitions. The exchange adds to a series of public clashes between Smotrich and the defense establishment over budget priorities. As The Zioneer reported earlier this month, the Finance Ministry approved an immediate 15 billion shekel transfer to the defense budget, but Smotrich's latest letter signals continued friction over fiscal discipline and ministerial oversight.
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