JERUSALEM — The departure of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has left a vacuum of power in more ways than political leadership.
Despite a pledge to the United States, Israel has not
moved to institute parliamentary control over the nation's defense budget.
A report by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss asserted that the
Sharon government transferred millions of dollars to the Defense Ministry
without government or Knesset approval, Middle East Newsline reported.
Parliamentarians agreed and said the
ministry has withheld many of its activities from Knesset
committees.
Officials said the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has not
taken significant steps to promote legislation that would ensure oversight
and transparency of Israeli arms spending and exports abroad. They said that
despite numerous appeals, neither the Knesset nor the Finance Ministry has
complete information of Defense Ministry procurement and spending.
In a November 2005 hearing by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee and State Control Committee, deputies complained that the Defense
Ministry has refused to submit to government or parliamentary oversight.
They called for close supervision of the more than $9 billion defense
budget.
Finance Ministry wage director Kobi Haber agreed. Haber said the
Finance Ministry maintains "limited" knowledge of the defense
budget.
At the hearing, Defense Ministry Director General Yaacov Toren pledged
to increase communications with the Finance Ministry. Toren said he would
provide detailed accounting of spending and procurement.
"There may not be agreement on everything," Toren said. "But at least
[everyone] will
understand what we are talking about."
In September 2005, Israel signed a memorandum of understanding with the
United States that guaranteed transparency in the defense budget of and
exports by the Jewish state. Officials said the MoU was meant to open the
Defense Ministry to public scrutiny and ensure the reporting of Israeli arms
sales.
