Netanyahu Seeks to End U.S. Financial Aid, Calls It 'Welfare Assistance'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared his intention to terminate U.S. financial aid to Israel, characterizing it as "welfare assistance" that the country no longer needs. This statement comes amid ongoing tensions between the two allies, particularly concerning the Iran issue.

In an interview broadcast on Channel 14, Netanyahu stated, "I want to end American aid. It's a form of welfare assistance. I don't want it." He asserted that Israel's economy has evolved beyond that of a small state reliant on external support and now possesses the capacity for self-financing.

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I want to end American aid. It's a form of welfare assistance. I don't want it.

Netanyahu, who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza, outlined a ten-year plan to progressively decrease Israel's dependence on Washington. He claimed to have advocated this vision as early as 1996 before the U.S. Congress.

Projecting that the Israeli economy is nearing the $1 trillion mark, Netanyahu expressed confidence that it will be financially self-sufficient starting next year. This assertion suggests a significant shift in Israel's economic strategy and its relationship with its primary international benefactor.

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Israel's economy is no longer that of a small state dependent on external support, but now has the necessary capabilities to ensure its own financing.