Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that an end to US military aid for his country is now “only a matter of time”, and that Israel must prepare other economic and financial arrangements with that in mind.
In an interview with an Israeli news outlet, Netanyahu said the political mood in the United States had changed, so Israel may not be able to rely on large amounts of US military aid every year in future. He has also ordered plans for alternative financial systems, including blockchain technology, to deal with possible international sanctions.
Criticism of Israel is growing in Western countries over its military campaign in Gaza, the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank and violence against Palestinians. Several countries, including Britain, have already banned goods from illegal Israeli settlements.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticised Netanyahu’s remarks, saying that if his government were re-elected, the risk of losing US security aid and facing economic sanctions would grow. That would put severe pressure on Israel’s economy and on ordinary people’s cost of living, he said.
Another opposition leader, Yair Golan, also criticised Netanyahu, saying Israel had to protect its international relations and strategic alliances to avoid sanctions.
Under an agreement signed in 2016, Israel is due to receive a total of $38 billion in US military aid over 10 years to 2028. Netanyahu’s remarks noted that Washington has not yet made any formal decision to end the aid.
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