Government approves in urgent ballot transfer of funds from the Arab sector for classified security procurement
The government is approving in an urgent telephone ballot the transfer of hundreds of millions of shekels that were designated for the five-year plan for Arab society to fund classified security procurement by the Defense Ministry, for the years 2027-2029. The proposal, submitted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, aims to advance security equipment procurement due to an urgent operational need. Legal advisors ruled there is no legal obstacle to approval, but noted that during an election period the government is required to exercise restraint.
The government is approving in an urgent telephone ballot the transfer of hundreds of millions of shekels that were designated for the five-year plan for Arab society to fund classified security procurement by the Defense Ministry. The proposal, submitted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, includes allocations of 68 million shekels in 2026, 169 million shekels in 2027, 342 million shekels in 2028, and 453 million shekels in 2029. Funding for 2026 will come from amounts designated for interest and commission payments, while funding for 2027-2029 will be taken from the budget designated for advancing the five-year plan for Arab society. The explanatory notes state that advancing the procurement is required according to the position of professional factors in the Defense Ministry, and that delay could harm the security response. The move is being promoted during an election period. The legal opinion noted that during this period the government is required to exercise restraint, but determined there is no legal obstacle to approving the decision. The transfer does not cancel the government's decision on the five-year plan, but reduces the resources available for its advancement.