Trump Announces End to US Military Aid for Israel by Year-End, Citing Netanyahu Deal

US President Donald Trump has stated that Washington will cease providing military funding to Israel after the conclusion of this year, a decision he attributes to an agreement made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Now, as far as paying Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4bn a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping," Trump told Fox News’ Fox and Friends. He further elaborated, "We’ve already agreed that by the end of this year we won’t be paying Israel. Now we’ll help Israel if they need it." This announcement comes amidst a period of increased scrutiny of US-Israel relations, with military aid and political campaign contributions from Israel's supporters to candidates becoming a contentious issue for both Democrats and Republicans. Recent years have seen a notable shift from decades of unwavering bipartisan support, with US political leaders expressing harsher public criticism of Israel. In July, the US House of Representatives voted to defeat an amendment that sought to cut off aid to Israel. This measure, proposed by outgoing Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, garnered significant support from nearly half of the Democratic representatives, highlighting a growing division within the party regarding US policy towards Israel and its actions in Gaza. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 314 to 104.