Netanyahu's office reiterates: Netanyahu has been talking about ending US aid for 30 years
The Prime Minister's Office stated that Israel and the United States are shifting toward a new partnership. This involves moving away from American financial and military assistance. The office noted that the Prime Minister previously worked to end 1.2 billion dollars in financial support starting in 1996. He recently stated that Israel is economically strong enough to phase out military support. In a May interview, he expressed a desire to reduce American financial support to zero.
The Prime Minister's Office reiterated on Wednesday that Israel and the United States are moving from American financial and military assistance toward a new partnership. "In 1996, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel would gradually end US financial support of $1.2 billion. He did just that," the statement said. "Thirty years later, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel is strong enough economically to gradually end military support," the Prime Minister's Office added. The statement recalled Netanyahu's remarks during a May interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, in which he declared: "I want to draw down to zero the American financial support." It also cited US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described the proposal this week as "something the Israelis themselves have offered us." "This joint move by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump shows the strength of our relationship and its ability to adapt to changing circumstances," the Prime Minister's Office concluded.