ISRAELI PRESS REVIEW
Israeli Press Review of 11.07.2013
- Army plan envisages deep budget cuts
The Israeli armed forces intend to implement wide-reaching budget cuts over the coming five years that will save billions of shekels, according to a multi-year plan published on Wednesday, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The plan, which would need to be approved by the cabinet, includes firing 3,000 to 5,000 career soldiers, and downsizing and closing air force squadrons, armoured and artillery units, and naval deployments.
The IDF, which referred to the cuts as unprecedented, believes they could save around NIS 7 billion over the five years.
The plan includes shifting the make-up of IDF divisions to make them more flexible, a
The government decided in May, to cut the defense budget by NIS 3 billion in 2014, and by NIS 1.5b. this year, as part of a wider attempt to deal with a NIS 40b. deficit.
Click here to read the full article in Jerusalem Post
- Sharp drop in West Bank terror attacks
The past few months have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of attacks by Palestinians against Israelis in the West Bank, the army’s OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Nitzan Alon told settler leaders in a meeting on Wednesday, the Times of Israel reports.
“Intensified IDF action and improved cooperation with the Palestinian security forces,” Alon said according to Hebrew daily Maariv, resulted in a two-thirds drop in the number of attacks over the past two months.
Click here to read the full article in Times of Israel
- Government mulls force-feeding hunger strikers
The Israeli Attorney General’s Office is currently examining the legality of a government-proposed bill that would enable prison authorities to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners, the Times of Israel reports.
In the past year Israel has faced mounting challenges from hunger-striking Palestinian security detainees, in some cases leading to the early release of convicted terrorists.
The bill, set forth by the Justice Ministry as well as the Ministry of Internal Defense, the Shin Bet, the Prisons Authority, the IDF, and members of the National Security Council, is at its early stages of review, the final outcome of which is expected in the upcoming weeks.
