Israel wants complete independence from US military aid within 10 years
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with The Economist magazine published on Friday that he wants to gradually reduce Israel's dependence on US military aid over the next decade.
He has long argued that the country should not rely on foreign support, but now, for the first time, he has also indicated a time frame.
"I want to gradually phase out military aid over the next ten years," Netanyahu said. When asked if that meant reducing it "to zero," he replied, "Yes."
Netanyahu said he had discussed the issue with US President Donald Trump and stressed that Israel "deeply" appreciates US aid, but that it has "grown up" and built its own capabilities.
In December, he also announced a plan to invest approximately $110 billion in the development of an independent arms industry.
The US and Israel have had a memorandum in place since 2016, valid until September 2028, which provides for $38 billion in military aid. Israeli defense exports rose by 13 percent last year.
(reuters, lud)