The IDF is seeking government commitment to a multi-year defense spending plan - a commitment that has been absent for the past several years - as it prepares to deal with the possibility of a covert Iranian attempt to break through to nuclear weapons production, a senior defense source said on Sunday.
The source said the IDF needs to assume that its most severe "reference scenarios" regarding Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and ISIS will come true, in order to correctly use the coming years to reshape the military, improve training, and make cost cutting reforms that include the shedding of 100,000 reservists and 5000 career soldiers.
Other proposed changes include military restructuring to create specialized war fighting and border security divisions that do not overlap one another.
The source said the IDF needs to assume that its most severe "reference scenarios" regarding Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and ISIS will come true, in order to correctly use the coming years to reshape the military, improve training, and make cost cutting reforms that include the shedding of 100,000 reservists and 5000 career soldiers.
Other proposed changes include military restructuring to create specialized war fighting and border security divisions that do not overlap one another.
The source spoke ahead of the publication of the findings of the Locker Commission, due on Tuesday, on the defense budget. The commission is expected to call on the IDF to reduce itself in size by a third - a recommendation defense sources described as being completely out of tune with Israel's security environment.
Decision-makers weighing the future defense budget will have to take stock of the current and future threats to Israel, the risk management system they wish to employ, and the national strategy to deal with threats. They will have to define "the results they want from the military," the source said.
Looking at the latest threat assessments, the source said, "I'm not saying this is what will happen, but we are preparing for a scenario in which, Iran after the agreement, moves into covert nuclear production." \\
Please RT - THANKS!
