Trump to End Billions in Aid to Israel by Year-End

US President Donald Trump announced that billions in aid to Israel will be halted by the end of the year. Trump stated in a call with Fox News that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed that Israel no longer requires the approximately $4 billion in annual US grants. Trump claimed the idea to stop the "waste" of funds originated with Netanyahu, adding that the $4 billion package includes "things and money." Netanyahu's office had not immediately confirmed this.

Netanyahu had previously indicated a plan to phase out the annual US military aid, currently around $3.8 billion, over a decade. However, cooperation with Washington, particularly in missile defense, was expected to continue. In 2016, a 10-year agreement was made for $38 billion in aid from 2019 to 2028, averaging $3.8 billion annually. Former President Barack Obama had emphasized the importance of this military aid for both Israeli and US security in 2015, citing the need to counter threats from groups like the Islamic State and Hezbollah.

Israel's Finance Ministry was reportedly surprised by Trump's announcement, according to the Israeli news portal "ynet." If the aid is indeed stopped at year-end, it would be two years earlier than planned. While the Finance Ministry declined official comment, senior economic officials reportedly deemed the decision severe, stating that foregoing two years of military aid, equivalent to $8 billion, would necessitate increased taxes on citizens.

Opposition politician Gilad Kariv criticized Netanyahu, accusing him of gambling with Israel's security. Kariv called for Netanyahu to appear before a parliamentary committee to disclose the details of his agreement with Trump regarding military aid. Kariv warned that ending US military aid prematurely would be another significant blow to Israeli citizens' security attributed to Netanyahu.