Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his aim to taper off Israeli reliance on American aid, discussed Israel’s public perception crisis, and touched upon ongoing anti-regime protests in Iran during an interview with The Economist published on Friday. For the first time in public, Netanyahu revealed that he may not seek to fully renew the 3.8 billion dollar American military assistance package that Israel receives annually. The package is due for renegotiation in 2028.
Netanyahu told The Economist that he plans to fully taper reliance on American support to zero within the next ten years, a move he claimed is already “in progress.” The prime minister additionally assured that he “will continue to fight for the allegiance of the American people.” Netanyahu also mentioned that he wants Israel to be “as independent as possible,” stating that reduced reliance on American financial aid may help in Israel’s fight to preserve a positive public perception.
