The Israeli military is on an accelerated shopping spree that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett described as a “period of unprecedented buildup.” The new acquisitions include missiles, rockets, ammunition, refueling aircraft, development of laser-based interceptor systems, offensive and defensive cybertools, restocking of supplies, and so on. The additional defense spending allocations follow two years of political tumult that held up approval of a new state budget and rearmament plans. In a series of interviews last week with Al-Monitor and other media, Bennett explained the goal of this buildup.

Judging by these interviews, seven months after assuming office, Bennett is starting to feel comfortable in his new perch despite widespread political criticism and poor polling. His self-confidence has skyrocketed and he is also buoyed by the failure of recent negotiations on a plea bargain in the corruption trial of his predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu. A plea deal banning Netanyahu from political office for at least seven years could have melted the glue holding together the ideologically disparate parties of Bennett’s coalition government. For now, such an agreement is off the table.

In response to a question by Al-Monitor, Bennett elaborated on his economic and security doctrine and on the need for billions in additional defense expenditure. “My goal is to bring about massive economic growth through reforms and incentives and to raise the gross domestic product to $1 trillion within 12 years,” said the former high-tech entrepreneur. “Some of the money will be allocated in real time for a buildup of our strategic advantages that would leave Israel’s enemies far behind. This will prevent war, not bring it closer, and result in stability and growth.” 

Bennett was outspoken in his criticism of his predecessors, particularly Netanyahu. “We inherited an unacceptable legacy,” he said. “Two months before I took office, Iran started enriching uranium to the 60% level and no one did a thing about it. Iran is the closest it has ever been to nuclear capability. Zoom out for a minute: You have a long-standing war between two regional powers that is being fought by one side only. They hit out at us, and we do not hit out at them. They have enveloped Israel with octopus tentacles and instead of striking the head of the octopus, we are quarrelling with its arms.”