Axios: Netanyahu hands Trump plan to end US military aid to Israel over 10 years

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented US President Donald Trump with a plan during their recent White House meeting to gradually eliminate Israel’s reliance on US military aid over the next 10 years, a senior Israeli official said in a briefing with reporters.

The official emphasised that Netanyahu intends to spearhead the effort publicly, arguing that Israel should ultimately achieve defence independence, Axios reports.

“Netanyahu told Trump, Vice President Vance and Witkoff that he is serious about reducing U.S. military aid to Israel to zero within 10 years. He stressed that he wanted to move forward with negotiating a memorandum of understanding about it,” the official noted.

According to the source, Netanyahu aims to achieve greater military self-reliance and believes the country's strong economic position makes it possible to gradually phase out US military aid.

The prime minister has already instructed Israel’s defence sector to develop an advanced fighter jet within the next decade as a contingency in case the United States halts deliveries of F-35s and other advanced aircraft, the report added.

By Jeyhun Aghazada