Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells CBS News’ “60 Minutes” that Israel should gradually reduce and eventually stop relying on U.S. military support. In the interview, Netanyahu says it is time for Israel to “wean” itself from remaining American support and aims to draw down U.S. financial assistance for military cooperation over the next decade. Reuters, citing the CBS interview that aired Sunday, reports Netanyahu hopes to move toward reducing U.S. military financial support to zero within about ten years, while Israel works to strengthen ties with Gulf states. Netanyahu also says Israel receives roughly $3.8 billion in U.S. military aid each year.
Multiple outlets report that the U.S. has agreed to provide a total of $38 billion in military aid to Israel from 2018 to 2028. Additional reporting notes that the underlying 10-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2016 largely requires spending most of the funds on American-made equipment. Analysts quoted by one outlet say Israel could increase strategic flexibility through a gradual shift, but a full break from U.S. defense aid is unlikely in the near term.
