Netanyahu unveils security doctrine with 450 billion shekels more for defence

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented an updated national security doctrine in Jerusalem on Sunday, October 18, setting out how Israel views its main threats and alliances. Israel Hayom reported that he described a nuclear-armed Iran as the greatest danger facing the country and said Israel was ready to strike first, even if the United States did not take part. The newspaper said it was the first presentation of this kind in a decade. "We are prepared to take the initiative," Netanyahu said, according to the paper.

The speech also covered defence spending, relations with Washington, Russia and Turkey. Ynet reported that the plan involves an additional 450 billion shekels for security, and that Netanyahu acknowledged, apparently for the first time, that Israel could lose the backing of the United States. Opposition figure Eisenkot responded that the remarks exposed what he called the emptiness of the strategic level Netanyahu has left the country, Ynet said.

What a security doctrine is

A national security doctrine is a framework document in which a government sets out its assessment of threats, its priorities and the tools it intends to use, from military capability to diplomatic partnerships. It guides budget and planning decisions rather than ordering specific operations. Israel Hayom described this version as Netanyahu's updated doctrine for 2026. The reports do not say whether a written document was published alongside the speech or whether it was approved by the cabinet.

Iran and the United States

Iran's nuclear programme has long been the central concern of Israeli security planning, and Israeli leaders have repeatedly said they would act alone if necessary. What drew most attention in Sunday's remarks was how openly Netanyahu discussed the possibility that American support might not always be there. According to Ynet, he said that within two years a president could be elected in the United States who would be very hostile to Israel, and that Israel would then need to build other alliances. He pointed to India, which he said is not a small country, and to what he described as a major shift in Latin America.

On the spending increase, Ynet quoted him as saying billions were being invested so that Israel would have capabilities and "teeth". The reports do not break down how the 450 billion shekels would be spent or over what period.

Russia and Turkey

The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu accused Russia of helping Iran run antisemitic bot networks online and of acting against Israeli interests. The material available does not include further detail on what evidence, if any, he cited.

On Turkey, a regional power with which Israel's relations have been strained, Netanyahu struck a cautious tone. Journalist Amit Segal, writing on his Telegram channel, quoted him as saying he hoped Israel would not reach a head-on confrontation with Turkey and that he was trying to prevent one. Without naming any specific country, Netanyahu added that Israel was taking all possibilities into account, according to Segal.

Criticism

The speech came during an election season, as reflected in Ynet's coverage, and drew sharp responses. Beyond Eisenkot's comment, posts on the X account of Axios correspondent Barak Ravid were strongly critical. One post called the moment one of candour but also described the statements as delusional and troubling, and questioned who had been prime minister while ties with Washington deteriorated. Another argued that alliances with India and Latin America could not replace an air force, assistance from CENTCOM (the US military command responsible for the Middle East) or an American veto at the United Nations Security Council, and said Netanyahu was in effect describing the dismantling of the state.

What the reports do not say

The reports, which are mostly short summaries and headlines, leave several questions open. None gives the timeframe or funding source for the additional 450 billion shekels. None specifies which US politicians Netanyahu had in mind when he spoke of a possible hostile president, or which Latin American countries he sees as potential partners. The Jerusalem Post headline on Russia is not accompanied in the available material by the details behind the accusation. It is also not clear from the reports whether the Iran remarks signal any change in current policy or restate a long-held position, and no official text of the doctrine is cited by any of the organisations.