Lapid calls on Netanyahu to convene defense budget committee, release NIS 11b. to IDF

Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene the Knesset committee responsible for the defense budget and promptly approve an additional NIS 11 billion for urgent IDF procurement. Lapid argued that this could be achieved without breaching the state budget or raising taxes. The opposition leader had previously attached a condition to his support for the transfer, which would involve canceling coalition funds designated for haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft evasion.

Lapid made these remarks following a security briefing with Netanyahu on Monday, where Lapid had initially requested that the state budget be reopened to allocate extra funds to the defense establishment. Lapid expressed unwillingness to support the proposal if it would result in tax increases, instead attaching his conditional support to Netanyahu's proposal based on the cancellation of the haredi draft evasion funds.