World Jewish News

Barak: New budget needed - defense shouldn't be cut

Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday called for a new, expanded budget which does not cut defense, in the wake of a summer of popular protests calling for socioeconomic reform.
During a Knesset Finance Committee meeting, Barak said that while investing in such reform is important, it should not come at the expense of the defense budget.
"We will not succeed in filling the minimal demands for the State of Israel to responsibly take care of defense and the demands of the social protest and the world recession. There is no way to do this within the current budget," Barak stated. "I do not claim to be omniscient, but from what I understand, we should increase the budget," he added.
The defense minister said that the Arab Spring and upheaval in the Middle East was bringing about changes that were difficult to predict. "This brings complex security challenges and increases the threats that we recognize today: Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran behind them."
Barak stated that the events of the past year have lead "to the conclusion that there can be situations in which the State of Israel will have to guard its interests on its own, without leaning necessarily on regional or other forces for help."
He said that "Israel is the strongest state in the Middle East, from Tripoli to Tehran, including Tehran, and will continue to be so if we continue to be responsible."

JPost.com