US President Donald Trump has said Washington will stop providing annual military financial assistance to Israel from next year, following an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a telephone interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said the United States had been providing Israel with $4 billion in annual assistance but had agreed with Netanyahu several months ago to end the funding.
“We had an agreement with Netanyahu to give Israel $4 billion every year. But a few months ago, we agreed to end this assistance. We agreed that the aid would stop at the end of this year,” Trump said.
Asked why the assistance was being discontinued, Trump said Israel no longer needed it.
“If they needed it, I would say let it continue,” he added.
The United States has long provided military support to Israel, including weapons and financial assistance.
Neither the Israeli government nor Netanyahu's office has issued a response to Trump's remarks.
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