Israel’s Eisenkot says US aid cut shows Netanyahu ‘must be replaced’

Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said on 3 November that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “must be replaced” after US President Donald Trump announced plans to end military aid to Israel by the end of 2026. Eisenkot, a former military chief and leader of the Yashar party, said it was dangerous that Israel’s defence establishment and the public had learnt of a possible change in the countries’ strategic relationship through the media. He called on Netanyahu to explain the announcement to Israelis.

Trump said he and Netanyahu had discussed ending the assistance, arguing that Israel no longer needed it. The existing US–Israel agreement provides about $3.8 billion a year in military aid through September 2028, while Netanyahu has previously described a transition over a longer period. The proposed timetable therefore raises questions about how the agreement would change; Congress would also have a role in any funding decision. Netanyahu had not publicly responded to Trump’s announcement by Tuesday evening, according to contemporaneous reporting.