Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 18, 2023
From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 18, 2023
Netanyahu: We need to increase the defense budget by NIS 20 billion per year
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, talks to Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron in Jerusalem on December 18, 2023 (GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel will need to increase its defense budget by some NIS 20 billion ($5.5 billion) per year.
Speaking at a ceremony extending the tenure of Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron, Netanyahu says that while the defense budget grew in recent years, it had shrunk as a percentage of GDP.
“We cannot continue this policy. From now on, right now, we are required to increase significantly, even absolutely, with a jump of at least NIS 20 billion and also as a higher percentage of GDP to meet our security needs,” Netanyahu says.
