The Pillar of Defense counter-terror operation cost billions of shekels, but was not truly damaging to Israel, economic strategist Ron Eichler said Sunday. “In general, the fiscal impact of the operation was not very worrying,” he said. The army will absorb much of the cost, he said. Civilian projects are likely to be cut to help cover the cost of compensation for damage, he added, such that “the operation will not have a significant impact on the government deficit.”

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