Tel Aviv [Israel], November 12: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of a gradual phase-out of US military aid after US President Donald Trump announced an end to the multibillion-dollar assistance by the end of the year. Israel was economically strong enough to manage without US military aid, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office. The transition from financial support to a partnership with the United States should, however, take place gradually, it added, without giving a timeframe. Trump made the surprise announcement in an interview with Fox News last week, saying Israel did not need the aid. The statement was met with criticism and concern in Israel about possible consequences for security and public finances. Israel currently receives about $3.8 billion a year from the US, under a 10-year agreement that runs until the end of September 2028. Netanyahu had previously announced a gradual exit from US military aid, telling the British magazine The Economist in January that Israel wanted to forgo the support entirely within the next 10 years.
Source: Qatar Tribune
