Israel Defense Ministry Saved Big This Year With Amazon Prime Day

Mission staff declined to specify the exact dollar amount they saved, as well as the identity of the products purchased.

New York, July 31 – Procurement personnel at Israel’s defense materiel purchasing mission to the US in Manhattan voiced gratification today at the frugality they could maintain thanks to membership in a program that allowed them special discounts two weeks ago.

The Jewish State’s Ministry of Defense Mission to the US succeeded in shaving more than four percent off its shipping costs during Amazon Prime Day, enjoying significant savings on the purchase of items for the army, air force, navy, police, and for REFAEL, the research and development arm of the IDF. Personnel attended a small ceremony with the chief of the mission this morning to celebrate the achievement.

“Thanks to your diligent efforts, we have saved the State of Israel more than three hundred thousand dollars,” proclaimed Tzafrir Haklai. “Instead of following inertia and using only the traditional channels to fill our requisitions, we have found innovative methods to get the most out of the funds we spend. Congratulations.”

Haklai took the opportunity to present a commendation to the employee who suggested a subscription to Prime. “As a token of our appreciation we award this plaque to [name redacted],” he declared, again to applause. “[Name] proposed this idea last year, and kudos to the section and department heads for listening and pushing it forward.”

Israel maintains its purchasing mission to facilitate the spending of more than 3 billion dollars in military aid that the US provides each year. The terms of the program require recipient countries to spend the funds on American services and American-manufactured goods. Additionally, individual purchases under a certain threshold must go through the American military’s apparatus for procurement of those items. Above the threshold, however, the mission is free to conduct its own tenders and gain approval for the funding retroactively. In was in this realm that the mission’s buyers found leeway to join Amazon Prime and enjoy the savings it provided. Mission staff declined to specify the exact dollar amount they saved, as well as the identity of the products purchased.

“Both of those details, while not classified, are still privileged information,” explained a buyer in the air force division. “In general, though, most of our purchases aren’t for sexy stuff such as fighter jets and missiles. In my time here I’ve had a hand in the purchase of copying machines, generators, gaskets, and lots of boring spare parts. I did once begin the research for a deal to buy a big fire truck, though.”

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