Israel announced Monday evening that the government has approved the 2024 wartime state budget — one that comes with increased funding for defense but also with an increase in the deficit.
“This is the war budget that also looks after the needs of our reservists and their families, the self-employed, the government ministries and the needs of the public,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in making the announcement.
“We are increasing the health budget and adding NIS 1 billion to it for mental health, a major and important need. It increases the education budget, the social welfare budget and the public security budget but, first of all, it takes care to increase the security budget, which is simply essential for victory and for our future.
“I want to thank the Finance Minister and the Government ministers who joined in the effort here.
We are also looking after many varied needs, and I know that this also demanded substantial sacrifice and I am very grateful to all of you for this response; you are sharing the burden,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister also added his “best wishes for a quick recovery” to the 18 people who were wounded earlier in the day, some quite seriously, in a combined ramming-and-stabbing terrorist attack in the central city of Ra’anana. Netanyahu also sent his condolence to the family of the woman who was murdered in the attack.
“We are in the midst of a war against terrorism on all fronts, also on this front,” he noted. “We will not relent until we achieve victory.”
