Member of Knesset Avigdor Lieberman at the evidence hearing against Yossi Kamisa/Niv Aharonson
"The economy is headed for a crash course after Passover. I looked at the March index which rose by 0.6% and it is a red color and a true alarm for the economy," says former finance minister Avigdor Lieberman in an interview on the eve of Passover.
According to him, "On the one hand, the deficit will increase. On the other hand, we approved a second time a budget for 2024 with a deficit of 6.6%, but unfortunately we will end the year with a deficit of 9%-10% and they will have to bring a budget for the third time. I left Netanyahu with a budget surplus of NIS 10.7 billion that is about to become to a deficit of NIS 200 billion".
According to him, "Despite a high interest rate of 4.5% and rising indices, the economy is holding up thanks to the private sector. But if the state continues like this, that will not help either. The defense assistance agreement with the US in the amount of 3.5 billion dollars per year ends in 2028 and will not be extended." He explains Because "there is no chance that the Americans will extend it, because we also made a commitment to Susan Rice, the American National Security Adviser. As a result, another law will be created and we will truly be a huge 'blessing'."
Regarding the relationship with the Americans, Lieberman emphasized that "after October 7, President Biden took the trouble to come personally for a support visit. Now that we were attacked by the Iranians, the Americans stood up and took down a third of the rockets and assisted us with intelligence with radar systems. But Bibi is tweeting about the Americans and the American aid may be in danger. The aid is stuck in Congress because of all kinds of meetings and political struggles."
Lieberman is also worried about the supply problems and the creeping embargo: "The thriving defense industries need components that need to be brought from Holland or South Korea and there are supply problems. The Turks imposed an embargo on construction materials that need to be imported from expensive places. There is no import of cars and goods from the East and the port of Eilat is almost empty."
In response to the question of what to do to change the situation, he adds: "5.8 billion shekels of coalition funds must be given up. Transfer payments must be cut. But Netanyahu is not interested because he is only busy with his personal survival."
The former finance minister estimates that immediately after Passover, "there will be a dramatic price increase and not only in dairy products mainly because of transportation costs. Fuel prices will rise and so will apartment prices and no one in the government is messing with the economy."
To the question of whether he would return to the treasury to save the economy, he answered: "Impossible. This whole crazy coalition is not ready to cut the coalition funds but want more and more additions. It is not only Ben Gvir or Smotrich but Shas and Torah Judaism who avoid military service.
" Deri says that "it is impossible to believe him regarding the future coalition with Bibi: every day he publishes something different. I did not see that he supported Interior Minister Moshe Arbel on the issue of military service."