In a recent video on IsraeliPM, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to expand Israel’s arms industry, pledging that it will match—and in some cases surpass—the capabilities of the world’s leading defense manufacturers.
Addressing the evolving global security environment, Netanyahu warned that the race for weapons was unlike any other competition in the marketplace. “There’s a race now for weapons in the world, but it is not a market race,” he said. “Unlike everything else that we could talk about that’s controlled by governments, their calculations can sometimes be political, not necessarily economic.”
Against this backdrop, Netanyahu outlined his vision for Israel’s defense sector. “What we are going to do is to build an arms industry that will match the best arms industries in the world with one proviso,” he stated. “We want to produce first for ourselves on a much larger scale and with unimaginable innovation.”
Israel has long been a global leader in defense technology, exporting advanced systems such as missile defense shields, drones, and cyber defense solutions. Netanyahu emphasized that while Israel will continue to compete internationally, the priority remains strengthening its domestic defense capacity.
“I speak to the innovators,” Netanyahu said, pointing to Israel’s high-tech ecosystem as the backbone of this ambition. With a thriving start-up culture and a history of adapting military technologies for civilian use, Israel’s innovation pipeline remains central to its defense strategy.
Analysts note that Israel’s defense exports already rank among the highest globally, generating billions of dollars annually. Yet, Netanyahu’s comments suggest a new phase in which the country seeks to dramatically scale production while integrating cutting-edge research into weapons systems.
The prime minister’s remarks come amid heightened global demand for arms, driven by ongoing conflicts and renewed military spending in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. By positioning Israel as a key player in this race, Netanyahu hopes to secure both strategic and economic advantages.
“Our vision is simple,” he declared. “To ensure Israel’s security, to foster innovation, and to demonstrate that our defense sector can lead the world not only in protecting our people but also in shaping the future of global security.”