by Amichai Stein, Ariel Feiglin
PM: Israel must prepare for 'new economic reality,' strengthen independent arms industries to ensure self-reliance • 'We are Athens and Sparta, or perhaps Super-Sparta'
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Qatar is spearheading an effort by a number of countries to impose a blockade on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
“There is currently an attempt to impose a blockade on Israel by various entities and countries, led by Qatar,” the prime minister said. “This includes, first and foremost, a media blockade funded by vast sums of money from Qatar and other countries, such as China.”
“In the coming years, we will need to strengthen our independent arms industries to ensure self-reliance in weaponry, munitions production, and industrial capacity. This will enable us to break through this blockade,” he added.
Netanyahu continued, saying that the isolation attempts would not be successful.
“The intention is to impose a blockade on us, similar to the one Iran imposed, hoping it would destroy us. We broke through that barrier, and everyone can see it. I am pleased to see the largest-ever visit of US lawmakers here. We are fighting this, investing significant funds and resources to counter this aspect of the blockade.”
He concluded by saying, “So, have they succeeded in isolating us globally? No. The United States stands with us, as do many other countries. However, we currently face a specific challenge in Western Europe. We are actively working, and will continue to work, to lift this blockade, just as we succeeded in overcoming the military blockade. We will also succeed in overcoming this diplomatic blockade.”
Netanyahu at the Accountant-General's conference
Earlier on Monday, during a conference of Israel’s accountant-general, Netanyahu warned that Israel must prepare for a new economic reality, emphasizing that the country “will have to adapt to an economy that has autarkic characteristics.”Netanyahu explained the need to protect industries critical for national security, saying, “I am an advocate of the free market, but in order to survive, we will have to ensure the ability to produce ourselves what is necessary for national security, especially weapons industries.”
He compared the situation Israel is in to ancient Greece by saying, “We are Athens and Sparta, or perhaps Super-Sparta. We have no choice.”
The prime minister also pointed to Israel’s current bureaucratic situation, explaining, “What worked until now will not work going forward… You have to cut down the bureaucracy.”
He also said that Israel’s biggest challenges are the influence of radical Muslim minorities on Europe’s policy toward Israel and the investments made by “hostile countries like Qatar in influencing global discourse.”
Israel stands isolated
Netanyahu concluded by saying that all of this has led Israel to enter “a kind of [economic] isolation.”As a method of counteracting isolation, Netanyahu said that Israel needs to invest heavily in “influence operations” in traditional and social media.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid commented on this statement by saying, “This is a crazy statement. Isolation is not a decree of fate; it is a product of misguided and failed policies of Netanyahu and his government. They are turning Israel into a third-world country and are not even trying to change the situation.”
זוהי אמירה מטורפת. הבידוד אינו צו גורל, הוא תוצר של מדיניות שגויה וכושלת של נתניהו וממשלתו, הם הופכים את ישראל למדינת עולם שלישי ואפילו לא מנסים לשנות את המצב.
— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) September 15, 2025
אפשר אחרת. ישראל יכולה לחזור להיות מצליחה, אהודה, עם כלכלת עולם ראשון משגשגת. https://t.co/aYlwvqLxvg
“It is possible otherwise,” Lapid added. “Israel can return to being successful, beloved, with a prosperous first-world economy.”
Amichai Stein, Ariel Feiglin
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-867546
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