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“What I’m saying is that I want to draw down to zero the American financial support, the financial component of the military cooperation that we have. Because we receive — we received $3.8 billion a year,” he said.
Rather than abruptly ending the relationship, Netanyahu proposed a phased approach that would slowly reduce aid over the next decade while strengthening cooperation in intelligence, defense technology, and missile systems.
“I think that it’s time that we weaned ourselves from the remaining military support,” he said.
The Israeli prime minister emphasized that he is not interested in waiting years for political momentum to build in Congress before taking action. Instead, he said the process should begin immediately.
“I said, let’s start now and do it over the next decade, over the next 10 years, but I want to start now. I don’t want to wait for the next Congress. I want to start now,” Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu also used the interview to highlight what he believes Israel contributes back to the United States in exchange for American support. He argued that the alliance is far from one-sided and claimed Israel provides intelligence and technological capabilities that benefit American national security in major ways.
“But the most important thing, you know, General Keane, who was head of one of your intelligence services said, ‘Of what Israel gave to the United States just on intel, it’s worth five CIAs.’ Now, I don’t know if it’s worth five CIAs or one CIA. I respect the CIA a lot. But in tangible matters, Israel is your best ally. It’s the only one that really provides you with gems of intelligence, shares our incredible technology, appreciates every penny that you gave us, deeply appreciates it.”
Throughout the interview, Netanyahu repeatedly praised the United States and stressed that Israelis remain overwhelmingly supportive of America — especially compared to shifting attitudes seen in other parts of the world.
“You know, if you go in Israel today, it’s not like other countries. Like, everybody’s pro-American because we appreciate what America stands for. We appreciate the aid that was given. We appreciate what is happening now. We share — we appreciate President Trump’s resolute stand, and the fact that the American military is performing so miraculously and so bravely alongside our brave people, our brave pilots and soldiers. We appreciate all that,” he said.
Still, Netanyahu insisted the alliance must evolve.
“But I want, I think it’s time that we — end it over time, an agreed schedule — American military aid, and move from aid to partnership.”
The Israeli leader also addressed what he sees as declining support for Israel among younger Americans. Netanyahu blamed online propaganda campaigns and foreign manipulation efforts for fueling anti-Israel sentiment on social media platforms.
“We have several countries that basically manipulated social media with the bot farms with fake addresses, to break the American sympathy to Israel, to break the American-Israeli alliance, because they think it’s in their interest,” he said.
According to Netanyahu, the issue goes beyond Israel alone and reflects a broader cultural battle taking place inside the United States itself.
“But it’s not only our front. It’s also your front. You know, so many of Americans, young people, say they’re not proud to be Americans. I think they should be proud. I mean, without America, we wouldn’t have this generation of freedom. We wouldn’t have the free societies that we have and free civilization that we have. And, you know– I think that this is a challenge that not only faces the American-Israeli relationship, it challenges the way America sees itself,” he said.
Netanyahu argued that Israel’s economy has matured to the point where dependence on foreign aid no longer makes sense. He pointed to the nation’s technology sector, stock market, and economic resilience even amid years of regional conflict.
“We have — a booming economy. After three years of war, you know, our currency’s the strongest it’s ever been in the last 50 years, maybe more. Our stock market is one of the leading stock markets in the world. It’s because we have this– this very high-tech juggernaut economy, one of the two — centers of cross-discipline — breaking, breaking technologies just changing the world,” Netanyahu said.
Looking ahead, Netanyahu described a future in which Israel and the United States jointly invest in advanced military programs, intelligence operations, and missile defense systems as equal partners rather than donor and recipient.
“So I want to draw down, and then I want to suggest projects, joint projects for intel, for weapons, for missile defense. Israel I think, has, you know, is a leader in this in the world. Many countries come to us for it. I’d like to share it with the United States. We put an exact amount of money. You put the same. We share the fruits exactly,” he said.
Whether Washington embraces Netanyahu’s proposal remains to be seen, but the remarks are already igniting debate over the future of one of America’s most important alliances in the Middle East.
