BUDGET CRISIS MAKES ISRAEL CANCEL MAJOR MILITARY EXERCISE

Tel Aviv, 11 Rajab 1435/11 May 2014 (MINA) – Budget crisis has made the Israeli occupation regime cancel a major military exercise that was initially set for June.

Israeli Minister for Military Affairs Moshe Ya’alon and Benny Gantz, commander of the military, made the decision to call off the drill, which was dubbed Turning Point 8.

Local sources say the decision is the first step in what is speculated to be a complete halt to military exercises in light of budget cuts, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“This is no game and we’re not making threats, this is simply the reality,” an Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Israel Radio.

On May 7, Ya’alon warned that the Israeli regime would reduce the number of its military exercises due to financial crisis.

“We are in a crisis, this is a fatal blow to training,” he told the Knesset (Israeli parliament), adding, “We are going to decrease the level of air, sea, and land training even further, and preparedness, readiness and competence will wane.”

The Israeli official then stated, “Starting from next month, we will be forced to enter a difficult period. This is a harsh blow to the competency of the regular fighters, not to mention the reserves.”

Criticizing an Israeli Finance Ministry decision for not supplying requested fund for the military, he said there could be “layoffs” in the military, and “companies in the periphery will be hurt, even though we are holding on [to them] by the skin of our teeth.”

“The picture is grim from every angle,” Ya’alon stated.

The crisis has forced Tel Aviv to press Washington into extending its financial support for the military sector beyond the current expiry date in 2017.(T/P012/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)