Bibi and Katz Receive Dramatic Warning: Border Troop Levels to Be Reduced Immediately

Translated by Al-Ahed News, Hebrew Meida

“Israeli” War Minister Israel Katz sent a warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening based on a letter drafted by the Deputy Chief of Staff and backed by the Chief of Staff, according to Lilach Shoval, political correspondent for the “Israeli” daily “Israel Hayom”.

According to the report, the letter states that the Ministry of Finance has failed to honor the prime minister’s directive by withholding funds that it had pledged to transfer to the Ministry of War over the past several months.

Shoval explained that the dispute stems from a significant budget shortfall facing the “Israeli” military. As “Israel Hayom” revealed in mid-May, following Operation Rising Lion and the “Israeli” military’s deployment into the security zone in Lebanon, the army required an additional 40 billion “shekels” to cover its budget deficit.

She added that the Ministries of Finance and War failed to reach an agreement, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to acknowledge the funding gap. Consequently, he instructed the Finance Ministry to immediately transfer 12 billion "shekels" to the Ministry of War, with the remaining funds to be allocated later in the year.

Serious Repercussions

Despite Netanyahu’s directive at the end of June to release the funds immediately, not a single shekel has been transferred so far, Shoval reported. She also noted that an appeal by "Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee" Chairman Boaz Bismuth to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—first reported by “Israel Hayom” more than a week and a half ago—has likewise failed to produce any progress.

According to Shoval, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai has now sent an additional letter warning of the “serious consequences for the stability of the ‘Israeli’ military” if the budget dispute remains unresolved.

The document states that, once implemented, several immediate measures would take effect, including:

• Transitioning to an additional reserve mobilization level, which would reduce troop deployments along the borders and in regional defense communities.
• Suspending force-readiness and retraining programs, making it more difficult for the military to prepare for another major conflict.
• Scaling back investment in the needs of both active-duty personnel and reservists after three years of war, further complicating efforts to retain military personnel at a time when manpower is already at one of its lowest levels.
• Halting recruitment for permanent-service positions.

Will the Funds Be Released?

Shoval reported that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir forwarded the letter unchanged to War Minister Israel Katz, emphasizing that “the absence of a financial agreement and the failure to implement the prime minister’s directive are having severe consequences for the ‘Israeli’ military’s readiness and operational capabilities.”

Katz, in turn, conveyed the same concerns to the head of the “National Security” Council and to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

A source familiar with the matter told “Israel Hayom”: “This is the height of absurdity. There are serious gaps here. At a time when we are preparing for a possible confrontation with Iran, there is no long-term planning horizon for the defense industries. We are not maintaining independent armament capabilities, and it is impossible to properly prepare the ‘Israeli’ military for combat.”

Shoval concluded by noting that the Finance Ministry had stated last week that the funds would be transferred within days, and in less than a week. However, that deadline has already passed without a single “shekel” being released. The ministry continues to insist that everything is ready for the transfer, but, as of now, no funds have been disbursed.