Netanyahu's NIS 350 Billion Defense Buildup Faces New Funding Dispute

A newly published budget analysis says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally approved a decade-long NIS 350 billion defense buildup with NIS 250 billion in net state spending. About NIS 120 billion has already been budgeted, while the IDF seeks immediate funding for the remaining NIS 130 billion and the Finance Ministry opposes doing so at once. Earlier official and defense reporting confirms the decade framework and preparations for new aircraft, munitions and production capacity. Much of the planned spending is intended to strengthen Israeli defense manufacturing and reduce dependence on United States military aid.