PNN – By the admission of a Zionist media outlet, the consequences of the war for the regime will persist for at least another decade.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; the Haaretz newspaper acknowledged in its Sunday editorial that the war—which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023, and has not yet concluded—has already cost Israel over 420 billion shekels; furthermore, the repercussions will continue over the next decade and could ultimately cost the country up to 1.5 trillion shekels.
The report continues: Israel’s informal security doctrine, established during the era of David Ben-Gurion, emphasized the necessity of short-term military conflicts to avoid the economic damage caused by the military’s reliance on reservists—and the consequent disruption to the labor market.
However, as Haaretz acknowledges, contrary to this principle, the longest and costliest war in Israel’s history has dragged on for nearly three years and is still ongoing.
This conflict has persisted due to the mobilization of reservists—who have borne the brunt of the war—and U.S. military and financial aid (amounting to approximately $20 billion over the course of the war).
However, the capacity to wage a protracted, multi-front war is a double-edged sword; on one hand—much like air defense systems—possessing such potential is an asset, yet on the other, the primary purpose of this capability is to afford the political leadership sufficient time and opportunity to make decisions and reach diplomatic agreements—actions the Israeli cabinet refuses to take. The political decision-making process has been ceded to external actors; it is the US government that has imposed a ceasefire on Israel and is striving to solidify political agreements regarding Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
A new series of articles by Sami Peretz, published this morning in the TheMarker newspaper, examines the costs and consequences of the longest and most expensive war in Israel’s history, as well as the ensuing socio-economic realities.
The editorial also notes that significant uncertainties and questions currently surround the future of U.S. aid—assistance that appears likely to decrease sharply or even cease altogether in the coming years.
This will place another heavy burden on Israeli taxpayers. Although the economy demonstrated remarkable resilience—thanks to a robust high-tech sector, thriving defense industries, and entering the war with low public debt and substantial foreign currency reserves—the conflict has increased the national debt by approximately 400 billion shekels ($112 billion), a massive debt that the public has not yet effectively begun to repay.
Who will bear these costs? If the decision rests with the current cabinet, the financial burden will once again fall upon the very same group that has endured this pressure for years. Nevertheless, there is hope that the upcoming elections will elicit a different response from society.
The publication TheMarker has also estimated the cost of the Zionist regime’s warmongering at 420 billion shekels ($112 billion), making it the most expensive war in the history of the occupying regime.