Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is signaling what could become a major shift in the long-standing alliance between Israel and the United States, declaring that the Jewish state should begin moving away from direct American military aid and toward what he described as a more equal strategic partnership.
During a wide-ranging interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Netanyahu stunned many observers by openly calling for the gradual elimination of U.S. financial assistance to Israel — a position he said he has already shared directly with President Donald Trump.
The Israeli leader made it clear that he believes Israel has reached a point where it no longer needs to rely on billions in annual American support the way it once did decades ago.
“Absolutely. And I’ve said this to President Trump. I’ve said it in– to our own people. Their jaws drop,” Netanyahu said.
The comments immediately drew attention across both Washington and Jerusalem, particularly because Israel has long been one of the top recipients of U.S. military assistance. Netanyahu acknowledged the current arrangement provides Israel with roughly $3.8 billion annually, but argued that the time has come for a dramatic transformation.
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