In a new report, Comptroller Englman warns against the defense defects in a series of topics – from readiness for terrorist attacks on the Light Rail in Gush Dan and security at Ramon Airport, through securing vital facilities against threats from the air, to backstage supervision of the defense export
The State Comptroller and Ombudsman, Matanyahu Englman, is publishing (2.12.2025) the Annual Defense Report.
In the report, the Comptroller warns against the series of defects found in topics of varied defense aspects: Commencing with readiness for a terror event on the Light Rail in Gush Dan, security at the Ramon International Airport, and a follow-up audit on the readiness for defending vital facilities against missiles, rockets and other aerial threats; through retaining consultants at the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry's supervision and audit of the employment by defense companies of marketing promoters, agents and brokers in defense export deals; and culminating in preventing the escape of biological pathogens and knowhow for the development of biological weapons and the management and security of the databases at the Ministry of Defense.
The Comptroller also conducted an audit in the sphere of aerial defense in the defense establishment, which it was decided should not be published on the grounds of protecting state security.
"The obligation to rectify intensifies following 7.10"
"The findings in the defense reports must cause the government ministers sleepless nights", emphasized Comptroller Englman. "They concern the security of the citizens of Israel. After October 7th, the duty to rectify the defects arising from the State Comptroller's reports is multiplied several folds".
The Comptroller noted that "The serious defects are apparent in a long series of topics, including significant gaps in the readiness of the Light Rail in Gush Dan for protection against terror attacks. In all matters pertaining to the defense of vital facilities against missiles, rockets and other aerial threats, it transpired that the main defects raised in the previous audit had not been rectified. Defects were found in the management of the databases at the Ministry of Defense and in the response to a mass casualty incident at Ramon Airport. The Ministers of Defense and Transport, and all the parties, must rectify the defects without delay".
Danger of bribery
Israel received a score of only 64 in the Corruption Perceptions Index by the Transparency International organization, which ranges from a score of 0 (high corruption) to a score of 100 (a corruption-free state). The score awarded to Israel ranked it in the 30th place out of 180 states. In a report dealing with supervision over market promoters, Comptroller Englman warned that "Alongside the benefits likely to ensue for the defense companies from the activity of market promoters, employing them is liable to be highly risky from the aspects of compliance and regulation concerning bribing foreign public officials. Likewise, there is a risk in the employment of Israeli market promoters who have personal relationships with senior officials at the Ministry of Defense, in view of the concern that these relationships will lead to conflicts of interest and consequently to ill-advised decisions by the Ministry of Defense in defense export deals, and violation of the right to equal opportunity. If this risk is realized, it is also liable to lead to undermining the public's trust in the public administration".
The audit found that in 2020, the Ministry of Defense exposed only one incident of a large commission that was intended to be paid to a market promoter, and prevented the deal being carried out. "For years there has been no control over the compliance plans for the prevention of corruption", warned the Comptroller. "This conduct is liable to be significantly injurious to the State of Israel from the aspects of defense, foreign relations and international trade. The Director General of the Ministry of Defense must rectify the defects".
