Breaking

The United States has announced it will cease military assistance to Israel by the end of the year, marking the fulfilment of a commitment Netanyahu first made in 1996. The Prime Minister’s Office responded by reframing the decision as a transition to an equal partnership rather than a loss of support.

Netanyahu’s office stated that Israel’s strong economy is sufficiently robust to sustain defence independently without American military aid. The announcement comes as Israel has historically received approximately $3.8 billion annually in US military assistance under a long-term agreement originally scheduled to continue until 2028.

The decision represents a significant shift in the decades-long security relationship between the two countries. Both the Times of Israel and Israel Hayom reported on the development, with Netanyahu’s office emphasising Israel’s economic capacity to absorb the change while downplaying the strategic implications of losing US military support.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post