US President Donald Trump has said the United States will stop giving Israel financial aid after the end of this year. Speaking to a US television programme on Tuesday after voting in the midterm elections began, he said he had reached a deal on this with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu months ago.
"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 said. "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." Asked why, he said: "Because they don't need it."
According to sources, it was not immediately clear what form of aid the president was referring to, and the US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. There was also no immediate response from the Israeli government.
Military aid to Israel, and campaign contributions to US candidates from Israel's backers, have been a flashpoint for both Democrats and Republicans this year. In July, the US House of Representatives voted 314 to 104 to defeat an amendment to cut off aid to Israel, even though nearly half of Democrats backed it. The amendment had been offered by Republican Representative Thomas Massie.
Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump critic, linked the announcement to the vote, saying it would not change the day's election results.