Netanyahu's 1996 promise to end US aid to Israel fulfilled after 30 years, PMO claims

The Prime Minister's Office said Benjamin Netanyahu has fulfilled his 1996 promise to gradually end US financial support for Israel in a Wednesday post on X/Twitter.Netanyahu, the PMO claimed, promised at the time to end the financial support, which then totaled $1.2 billion, compared to the current total of nearly $4 billion."He did just that," the post reads.In 1996, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel would gradually end U.S. financial support of $1.2 billion. He did just that. Thirty years later, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel is strong enough economically to gradually end military support. Today, Israel has a strong and stable economy, and Israel and the United States are making the important move from aid to partnership. Prime Minister Netanyahu set out the direction on CBS's 60 Minutes in May: “I want to draw down to zero the American financial support.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed it this week in Paris, calling it “something the Israelis themselves have offered us.” This joint move by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump shows the strength of our relationship and its ability to adapt to changing circumstances.— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 11, 2026Israel is "strong enough economically to gradually end military support,"