Israel and US Negotiate Gradual End to Aid, Not Sudden Halt

Despite a recent dramatic announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the immediate cessation of American aid to Israel by the end of the current year, reports indicate that the aid is not expected to stop abruptly. Instead, Israel is working with Washington to formulate a new agreement that would phase out military assistance over a five-year period.

Last week, during the U.S. midterm elections, Trump stated in an interview that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to end the annual aid package, valued at approximately $4 billion, by the end of 2026. Trump had argued that Israel no longer needed the funds and that the aid had become a political tool used by Democrats against Republicans, though he assured that the U.S. would continue to sell arms to Israel and provide assistance if needed.

However, behind the scenes, an alternative plan has reportedly been in development for months. According to i24NEWS, the emerging approach involves a new agreement to gradually reduce the aid over five years, rather than an immediate halt as Trump's remarks implied. Former minister Ron Dermer, currently in the United States, is actively involved in these negotiations, having worked on the issue during his tenure and continuing to advance it alongside figures from Israel's security establishment and the Israeli embassy in Washington.

The goal is to finalize an agreement before the new Congress is sworn in this January. In the interim, the existing U.S.-Israel aid agreement, valid until 2028, remains in effect unless Congress decides otherwise. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed to i24NEWS that he is unaware of any decision for a sudden halt to aid, stating that such a move would require congressional action and that the current memorandum of understanding has two years remaining, with the ultimate decision to be made "far from Jerusalem."