Trump says US will stop funding Israel at the end of the year - The Independent

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Donald Trump has said that the US will no longer provide funding to Israel at the end of this year after striking a new deal with Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Now, as ​far ⁠as paying Israel, ‌Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal ‌that we give ‌Israel $4 billion a year, and we made ⁠a deal months ago that we're stopping,” Trump told Fox News' Fox and Friends.

“We've already agreed that by the ‌end of this ​year we won't be ‌paying Israel. ⁠Now we'll help ⁠Israel if they need it,” he said, arguing that Israel no longer requires Washington’s support.

The US president pointed out that some politicians on the Left were using funding for Israel as a talking point to bash Republicans.

There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu's office on Trump's remarks.

It was not clear which exact funding Trump meant. An Obama-era memorandum of understanding that provides $3.8 billion annual US military aid to Israel is approaching its expiration date in 2028 and conversations have been under way on how funding would continue.

“They can buy whatever they want. They can buy whatever they want. So can Europe. We make the greatest weapons in the world,” Trump added on Tuesday.

Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of US aid since its founding, receiving more than $300bn, adjusted for inflation, in economic and military aid since 1948, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

At least $21.7bn in military aid was transferred in the first two years from the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, which led to the war in Gaza and preceded US-Israeli strikes against Iran.

The US and Israel are yet to resolve the eight-month conflict with the Islamic Republic, and Washington carried out renewed strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island overnight even as Qatari mediators stepped up efforts to avoid another escalation.

Israel’s Netanyahu is fighting to remain in office after failing to hold his majority in last week’s elections, despite having received a glowing endorsement from president Trump, who said the US would have to “finish the job” against Iran alone if Israel has “the wrong leader”.

Trump is under pressure to end the unpopular war and recoup some popularity as voting begins in the US midterm elections. The vote will decide who will control Congress for the last two years of the Trump presidency.