Yisrael Beiteinu Party Chairman, MK Avigdor Lieberman, joins Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's fight against the purchase of new fighter jets for the IDF.
Lieberman wrote:
"The Israeli government must make two immediate decisions:
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1. In the security field, there is no justification for purchasing aircraft for a total amount of approximately 35 billion shekels. It is impossible that militias in sandals are capable of launching cruise missiles and drones at Israel, while in order to attack Yemen, the State of Israel needs to put an entire squadron into the air for a flight thousands of kilometers south.
Therefore, instead of purchasing aircraft for about 35 billion shekels, it is possible to purchase aircraft for about 20 billion shekels, and invest 10 billion shekels in establishing an effective missile force that will meet the security challenges, and five billion shekels to strengthen the ground arm.
2. In the economic sphere, we must immediately bring to Israel about a quarter of a million foreign workers, who are needed in the construction, industrial, agricultural and hotel sectors.
"After almost half a year of war, it's time to change the diskette."
In a letter that Smotrich sent to Netanyahu yesterday, he explained why he is preventing the purchase of fighter jets for the IDF.
""In the agreement you led with the Ministries of Finance and Defense regarding the revised budget for 2024, it was determined that a public committee would be established that would submit its recommendations within about two months. Since the agreement, the defense establishment has been preventing the establishment of the committee and seeking to determine facts on the ground and require huge budget amounts, including in the aforementioned aircraft purchase transactions. With all due respect, such conduct cannot be accepted," Smotrich wrote.
He added: "The expectation of the defense establishment to receive a blank check for huge sums and with enormous consequences for the economy and the quality of life of Israeli citizens - without any critical thinking, brainstorming, professional, public and governmental discussion - is neither legitimate nor realistic. Always, and especially after the failure of October 7 and what preceded it.".
