Lapid’s office:

During a security briefing between Netanyahu and Lapid, Netanyahu asked to reopen the budget law in order to allocate additional funds to the defense establishment.

Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded during the meeting: “I support the proposal and the transfer of funds because the IDF needs to be strengthened, but the source of the funding cannot be higher taxes on the middle class and military reservists, which is where you are heading.

Instead, include in the proposal the cancellation of the corrupt coalition funds and the tens of billions of shekels you are currently transferring to fund ultra-Orthodox draft evasion—and we will support the proposal in the Knesset as well.”