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Netanyahu Says Israel Should Phase Out US Army Aid
(MENAFN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel should gradually reduce and eventually eliminate its dependence on US financial support over the next ten years, while also arguing that declining American public sympathy for Israel is being driven by online influence campaigns rather than policy decisions.
Netanyahu noted that Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II, receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in combined economic and military support since its founding. Under a long-term agreement signed in 2016, Washington committed tens of billions in military aid through 2028, including funding for missile defense systems such as Iron Dome, with US assistance representing a significant share of Israel’s defense budget.
In a televised interview, he said he had already discussed the idea with US President Donald Trump and described reactions within Israel as surprised but receptive. He emphasized that the reduction of US military aid should begin immediately and be completed over the coming decade.
At the same time, Netanyahu acknowledged that public opinion in the United States toward Israel has become less favorable in recent years, citing polling trends that show a rise in negative perceptions.
However, he rejected the idea that ongoing military operations in Gaza were responsible for the shift in sentiment. Instead, he attributed it primarily to online information campaigns, claiming that coordinated social media activity and automated accounts are influencing perceptions of Israel among American audiences.
He argued that Israel faces a broader struggle over global public messaging and suggested that it has not been sufficiently effective in what he described as a “communications battle” in digital spaces.
The remarks come amid broader debate over US-Israel relations, foreign aid dependency, and the role of social media in shaping international political narratives.
Netanyahu noted that Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II, receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in combined economic and military support since its founding. Under a long-term agreement signed in 2016, Washington committed tens of billions in military aid through 2028, including funding for missile defense systems such as Iron Dome, with US assistance representing a significant share of Israel’s defense budget.
In a televised interview, he said he had already discussed the idea with US President Donald Trump and described reactions within Israel as surprised but receptive. He emphasized that the reduction of US military aid should begin immediately and be completed over the coming decade.
At the same time, Netanyahu acknowledged that public opinion in the United States toward Israel has become less favorable in recent years, citing polling trends that show a rise in negative perceptions.
However, he rejected the idea that ongoing military operations in Gaza were responsible for the shift in sentiment. Instead, he attributed it primarily to online information campaigns, claiming that coordinated social media activity and automated accounts are influencing perceptions of Israel among American audiences.
He argued that Israel faces a broader struggle over global public messaging and suggested that it has not been sufficiently effective in what he described as a “communications battle” in digital spaces.
The remarks come amid broader debate over US-Israel relations, foreign aid dependency, and the role of social media in shaping international political narratives.
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