Trump announces halt to US security aid to Israel
President Donald Trump announced the end of annual US security aid to Israel, catching senior officials off guard. Israeli defense officials worry about implications for operations against Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon, and signal a need to boost domestic defense production.
Dan Perry argues in an opinion piece that it was Donald Trump, considered a great friend of Israel, who announced the end of annual security aid to Israel, not Democratic presidents like Obama or Biden. Trump said in an interview with Fox News that he and Netanyahu had agreed on this months earlier, and that the initiative came from Netanyahu himself. Perry raises concern that Netanyahu gave up a strategic asset in exchange for Trump's personal political support in Israeli elections. The article emphasizes that the aid, totaling about $4 billion a year, is part of a broad strategic alliance including intelligence cooperation, diplomatic backing, and deterrence against Israel's enemies. Perry criticizes Netanyahu for distancing the Democratic Party from Israel and betting everything on Trump and the Republicans, while ignoring isolationist and antisemitic currents in the American right. The article concludes with a call for Netanyahu to provide clear answers to the Israeli public.