Netanyahu: US military aid to Israel to be phased out gradually

In depth

A week and a half after US President Trump announced the end of military aid to Israel, Netanyahu said Israel will work toward a gradual phase-out of it. The Prime Minister's Office issued a response statement, which said that Israel's economy is strong enough to end military aid gradually.

Trump announced that the defense aid, amounting to $3.8 billion a year, will end in late 2026. The Prime Minister's Office presents the move as an Israeli initiative and speaks of a gradual phase-out with no end date. Netanyahu's office also published the statement in English, writing that Israel and the United States are taking a significant step in the shift from aid to partnership.

The finance and defense ministries were surprised by the announcement. A new partnership framework is already taking shape in Congress.