Washington has approved the sale of tens of millions of dollars in military equipment to aid Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, and the close defence ties between the countries date back decades. "In my visit to President Trump, I said we deeply appreciate the military aid that America has given us over the years," he told The Economist.

"But we too have come of age, we've developed incredible capacities and our economy will soon within a decade reach USD 1 trillion. "So I want to taper off the military aid within the next ten years." Israel receives approximately USD 3.8 billion in annual financial aid from the United States for arms purchases under an agreement signed in 2016, which entered into force in 2019 and is valid until 2028. According to the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, Israel has received more than USD 300 billion in military and economic aid since its founding in 1948, adjusted for inflation.

In May, as relations between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump appeared strained, the Israeli premier suggested that Israel would eventually have to "wean itself off" American military aid, without providing further explanation. In a controversial speech in September, Netanyahu also said Israel was becoming increasingly isolated and had to adopt a "super-Sparta" approach. Following a backlash after the remark, the Israeli leader later said he was referring to the defence industry, and that the country had to become more self-reliant to avoid potential supply bottlenecks. (Bssnews)