Netanyahu calls for gradual end to US military aid to Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel should gradually reduce its reliance on United States military assistance, a move that signals a potential shift in the long-standing defence partnership between both countries.

Speaking in a recent interview on CBS programme 60 Minutes, Netanyahu stated that Israel should begin immediately scaling down the financial component of American military support, with a view to eliminating it entirely within the next decade.

“I want to draw down to zero the American financial support,” he said, referring to the current level of assistance Israel receives under its defence arrangement with Washington.

Under the existing 10-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2016, Israel is set to receive about $38 billion in military aid from the United States through 2028, averaging approximately $3.8 billion annually. The package covers areas including weapons procurement and missile defence systems.

Netanyahu said Israel has reached a stage where it has “come of age” militarily and should progressively work towards greater defence independence, while still maintaining close strategic ties with the United States.