Trump says he is ending billions in military aid to Israel, claims Netanyahu agreed
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US President Donald Trump announced the termination of a multi-billion-dollar ten-year program supporting Israel's security, saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the move. In a Tuesday telephone interview with Fox News, Trump claimed the two had settled on the plan months earlier and that payments would end at year's end, asserting the idea originated with Netanyahu to stop years of alleged waste. Trump said Israel is 'our number one' and receives more money than anyone else but 'doesn't need it anymore,' adding the US would help Israel if needed. Netanyahu has not confirmed the agreement, though he said in interviews this year he wants annual US military aid to phase out entirely within a decade while cooperation, especially missile defense, continues. Trump put the aid at four billion dollars; the 2016 Obama-negotiated deal provides 38 billion dollars for 2019-2028, about 3.8 billion dollars annually.
Source report
Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump at a meeting in Florida. Source: Alex Brandon/AP/dpa
US President Donald Trump plans to end military aid to Israel at the end of the year. He cites an agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
US President Donald Trump has announced the end of a multi-billion-dollar, ten-year program supporting Israel's security. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "agreed" to the move, Trump said on Tuesday in a telephone interview with US broadcaster Fox News. He said he had reached an agreement with Netanyahu "months ago," and that the payments are to end at the end of the year. Trump claimed the idea came from Netanyahu. The aim, he said, is to stop the years-long "waste" of funds.
"Israel is our number one. We give them more money than anyone else, and they don't need it anymore," Trump said. He added: "We will help Israel if they need it."
No Confirmation from Netanyahu
There has been no confirmation from Netanyahu so far. The Israeli prime minister announced in interviews this year that he wanted to phase out annual US military aid entirely within a decade. However, cooperation with Washington, especially on missile defense, should continue.
Trump put the subsidies at four billion dollars, covering "things and money." The program was negotiated by Trump's Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama. The agreement, concluded in 2016, provides for a total of 38 billion dollars for the years 2019 to 2028 — 3.8 billion dollars (around 3.4 billion euros) per year.
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Trump Says US Will End $4 Billion in Annual Military Aid to Israel by Year-End