David Amsalem, Minister for Regional Cooperation and observer in the political-security cabinet, gave a radio interview to Reshet Bet radio Tuesday morning in which he sharply criticized President Donald Trump for recent actions taken without coordination with Israel—chief among them the release of only one hostage, Edan Alexander, who happens to be an American citizen, and the agreement the US reached with the Houthis, which ignored Israel’s security needs.
“We’re dealing with a president who wakes up in the morning with plan A, shifts to B by evening, then moves to C, and ultimately implements D,” Amsalem said. “It’s causing global confusion on every front. When you’re the leader of the free world, there has to be a way—a method, consistency.”
Amsalem welcomed the release of the kidnapped soldier on Monday but voiced strong dissatisfaction with how the deal was reached: “The manner in which this was ‘signed’ is certainly improper, to say the least. I expect the American administration to coordinate such matters with the Israeli government.”
About a week ago, the American president stunned observers by announcing that he had agreed to halt strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. He initially claimed the Houthis had “begged” the US to cease its attacks, but it later emerged that the move was part of a coordinated effort brokered by Oman, aimed in part at stopping assaults on American vessels.
Commenting on the US agreement to halt attacks in Yemen, Amsalem said: “Trump has generally acted in support of the State of Israel, but it turns out he is unpredictable—waking up every morning with a different stance. This is a serious issue; it breaks all the longstanding norms that have governed US-Israel relations.”
Speaking in the Knesset on Monday, Amsalem declared: “I’ve come to the conclusion that the State of Israel must finally recognize—none of our friends will fight on our behalf. No matter what we do, they won’t. Even our closest allies will ultimately prioritize their own interests. A strong Israel serves American, Saudi, and Jordanian interests. Without us, I’m not sure what would have become of those regimes.”
CAN ISRAEL DO WITHOUT THE US?
Back in January 1998, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, responding to a question during a briefing for Israeli reporters in Washington, reaffirmed his commitment to a position he had expressed at the start of his term in a speech to Congress: that Israel should gradually reduce its dependence on the annual aid it receives from the United States.
Nearly $100 billion later, in a closed-door session last week at the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee discussing the continuation of US security assistance to Israel, Netanyahu appeared to revive the same position he voiced 27 years ago—suggesting once again that Israel should work toward reducing its reliance on American aid.
According to Calcalist, senior officials in the defense establishment and defense industries were stunned by the Prime Minister’s remarks. Addressing members of the committee, Netanyahu said: “Israel receives about $4 billion in military aid from the U.S., and I believe the time will come when we wean ourselves off it, just as we did with economic aid.”
Since signing the Camp David Accords and returning two-thirds of its territory to Egypt, Israel has been the largest recipient of US foreign aid. In the past, part of this assistance was allocated for economic support, but all economic aid to Israel ended in 2007, as Israel’s economy had grown sufficiently to no longer require it.
Netanyahu is arguing that, considering the security duress Israel has experienced under the Biden administration, and now begins to endure under Trump, it may be time to give up US military aid as well, to allow the Jewish State to chart an independent security course within the Western camp.
The current security assistance agreement, which grants Israel $3.8 billion annually from the US, was signed in 2016 and is set to expire at the end of 2028. Netanyahu’s remarks on the matter come at a crucial time, as Israel is expected to begin internal discussions on shaping its stance toward a new framework with the US.
At a time when Israel is fighting the longest and most difficult war in its history, spanning over a year and a half across at least seven fronts, the Prime Minister’s recent comments reflect, more than anything else, Israel’s need to assert its political independence amid mounting pressures from the US, Europe, and the Arab world. By reducing the leverage its allies hold over it, a self-sustained Israel could become an even more powerful force in the region.
As of 2025, the International Monetary Fund ranks Israel as having the 25th largest economy in the world by nominal GDP, and one of the most significant economies in the Middle East. With a population exceeding 10 million, Israel’s GDP stands at $583 billion. In 2022, the economy grew by an impressive 6.5%, but growth slowed sharply to 1.6% in 2024 due to the ongoing war. However, once the conflict ends, Israel is expected to experience a substantial economic surge.
Notably, Israel’s GDP per capita in 2025 is $57,379—well ahead of the United Kingdom ($49,463), France ($44,690), and Italy ($39,003)—underscoring the country’s economic resilience and strength despite current challenges.
All of Israel’s fighter jets, along with their spare parts, a significant portion of their weapons systems, as well as transport helicopters and aerial refueling aircraft, are acquired from major American defense contractors using US security assistance funds. In effect, Israel receives these high-cost weapons systems from the United States virtually for free.
But there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and as we’ve seen over the past 19 months, Israel has been paying heavily for its lunch, which included sacrificing the lives of its soldiers to obey the Americans’ “moral” directives, chief among them, “Thou shall feed and nurture the murderers who committed atrocities against your women and children.”
Israel can afford to pay for its lunches.
