A report presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday recommended a budget shifting the Israeli military from a defensive posture to a more offensive one.
The Nagel Committee report evaluated the defense budget and recommended strategies to counter the threat posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“We are in the midst of a change in the basic situation in the Middle East. We have known for years that Iran is the greatest threat to us, both directly and through its proxies,” said Netanyahu.
“Of course, we took care to strike this axis very hard. But we have been witness to the fact that a) it still exists and b) additional forces have entered the field, and we always need to be prepared for what may come,” he added.
The commission recommended shifting defense resources to 70% offensive vs. 30% defensive.
The report recommended adding 9 billion shekels ($2.5 billion) to the 2025 budget and increasing spending levels until 2030.
Former Israeli National Security Council chief Jacob Nagel, who led the committee, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich were also present at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem for the presentation of the report.
Committee members and observers, in addition to senior finance and defense ministry officials also participated in the discussion.
“The work that you have done prepares us for what may come, both near and far. … We will study it and we will use it to formulate decisions,” said Netanyahu.