Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson have appointed a committee to assess the defense budget. The committee’s purpose is, “to formulate independent recommendations regarding the budget’s desired size and composition, in both the short and long terms, including the resultant security response.  The committee has been requested to take into consideration the various proposed budgetary solutions’ long term consequences on the Israeli economy and society."
 
The committee members are: David Brodet, Chairman; Ilan Biran; Eitan Ben-Eliyahu; Orna Bari; Nir Gilad; Eli Horowitz; Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg – National Economics Council; Ilan Mizrahi - National Security Council and Kranit Flug. The Defense and Finance Ministers will appoint senior observers from their respective ministries. The National Security Council will serve as the committee’s headquarters at the Prime Minister's Office.
 
Committee members were asked to suggest necessary changes in security outlays for the 2008-2010 budget years.  They were also requested to formulize recommendations in a number of specified subjects, including: the budgetary process concerning security and the proper Government decision-making process on this matter; the budgeting of research projects, development and procurement; preservation and renewal of economies in the IDF; and the subject of a multi-year budget for the defense establishment.
 
The committee is to submit its recommendations by the end of April 2007.
 
Prime Minister Olmert thanked the committee members for participating in this important mission and wished them success.