News Desk
TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has renewed his call for Israel to reduce its reliance on US military support and expand its domestic arms production capacity, according to a statement issued by his office on Tuesday.
Speaking to reserve officers during a training course in the occupied West Bank on June 18, Netanyahu said Israel should “break free” from dependency on American assistance and develop what he described as an independent armaments network. He emphasised the need for local manufacturing of weapons, saying that strategic autonomy had become essential for the country’s long-term security.
His remarks came just a day after Washington and Tehran reached an initial agreement aimed at ending the recent Middle East conflict, a development that has been met with strong opposition in Israel. Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed concern over shifting regional alignments and the implications for Israeli security policy.
The Israeli leader acknowledged the longstanding support from the United States but argued that Israel must gradually move towards self-sufficiency in defence production. His comments echoed earlier statements in which he suggested that the goal should be to phase out reliance on US military assistance over the next decade.
Israel has been one of the largest recipients of American aid since its establishment in 1948, receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in economic and military support. Under a 2016 agreement in force since 2019, Israel currently receives around $3.8 billion annually in US military assistance, a deal set to run until 2028.
