Video: ‘I don’t want it, we can finance ourselves,’ Netanyahu calls to end U.S. aid
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Abdullateef Fowewe
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that he wants to end American financial assistance to Israel.
Netanyahu in an interview said, “I don’t want it (US aid),” and arguing the country no longer needs the support because it can “finance ourselves” as a medium‑sized economy.
Speaking in footage aired from an Israeli TV discussion, Netanyahu invoked a 1996 speech he delivered to the U.S. Congress as the origin of his long‑standing belief in Israeli economic self‑sufficiency.
“We can finance ourselves, we’re no longer a small economy,” he said, and urged that the process to terminate U.S. aid begin this year.
Netanyahu framed the proposal as a milestone of national maturity, saying Israel’s strengthened economy and strategic autonomy remove the necessity for continued direct American funding.
His comments mark a significant rhetorical shift from decades in which U.S. military and economic assistance has been central to Israeli security planning and bilateral ties.
