The Trachtenberg committee's call for cutting Israel's defense budget to finance greater outlays in education and housing have predictably aroused criticism.

Defense Ministry sources and their allies in the press are claiming that a cut in the budget will result in a lack of preparedness that hampered military operations during the 2nd Lebanon war.

Ron Ben Yishai the veteran military correspondent wrote a column on Ynet warning that whoever goes to sleep with Trachtenberg will wake up with Winograd (the chairman of the commission that investigated the failings of the 2nd Lebanon war).

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz has hit back telling the critics to stop intimidating people with a mention of Winograd. The Defense Ministry has a huge budget and it needs to spend it wisely and transparently.

Additionally the finance minister reminded people that the Defense Minister Ehud Barak had already pledged that his ministry would make its contribution. Now it was time for the Defense Ministry to walk the walk.

Steinitz enjoys the support of the Prime Minister in his tussle with the Defense Ministry