President Donald Trump said he reached a deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop providing annual military assistance.
US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Washington will stop providing $4 billion in yearly military aid to Israel by the end of this year. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached a deal months ago to end the payments.
Trump stated that Israel has become an economically prosperous and thriving nation that can buy its own weapons. He said the country no longer requires American financial support, though he added that the US will help Israel if they need it.
According to reports from Rediff and Deccan Herald, Trump also noted that some Democrats and left-wing politicians have used the funding as a way to criticise Republicans.
Yair Golan, Chairman of Israel's Democratic Party, criticised the decision. In a post on X, Golan said the move comes at a time when Israel's defence expenditures are high and its air defence capabilities have eroded following a prolonged war.
Golan, who belongs to the anti-Netanyahu bloc, said that Netanyahu is responsible for this failure at a time when the country needs to replenish its offensive weapons stockpiles.
