Latest / Israel Today: Ongoing War Report / Trump Announces End to US Military Aid to Israel

Transcript

Trump Announces End to US Military Aid to Israel · Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Israel Today ongoing war report. I'm Noah Levi.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: In a significant development regarding the US-Israel relationship, President Donald
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Trump announced that Washington will end nearly $ 4 billion in
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: annual military assistance to Israel by December 2026. According to reports,
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Trump stated he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reached
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: an agreement months ago to terminate the aid. despite an
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: existing arrangement running through 2028. The existing agreement provides $ 3. 8
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: billion annually, including $ 3. 3 billion in military financing and $ 500
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: million for missile defence programmes. This announcement comes just a
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: week after Israelis went to the polls, following a campaign
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: where Netanyahu repeatedly emphasised his strategic partnership with the American president.
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: While Netanyahu has publicly advocated for Israel to become financially
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: independent of Washington, the reported timetable of terminating billions in
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: assistance within weeks, contrasts sharply with a gradual, decade-long transition.
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: US aid to Israel has been described by Trump as
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: a political liability, with some analyses suggesting the move could
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: yield economic advantages for Israel alongside challenges for the US economy.
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: In parallel, voters in Providence, Rhode Island, have approved a
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: ballot measure calling for the city to divest public funds
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: from countries engaged in acts such as ethnic cleansing, apartheid
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: or genocide. While the measure does not name Israel directly,
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: it was heavily supported by pro-Palestinian groups and opposed by
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: some Jewish and pro-Israel organisations. This vote makes Providence the
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: largest municipality to date to pass such a divestment measure,
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: following a trend in activism that has gained momentum since
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: the October 7 attacks. On security matters, the IDF is
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: initiating a comprehensive upgrade of the Hourglass security fence along
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: the Gaza Strip. This critical initiative incorporates advanced technology and infrastructure,
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: drawing directly from lessons learned during the October 7th attack
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: and the war. The upgrades include reinforcing border gates, analysing
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: terrain for seasonal challenges like flooding, and installing secured openings
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: for rapid military movement. Notably, the plan integrates technologies and
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: operational methods to counter threats operating at very low altitudes,
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: such as fibre optic drones, and aims to improve early
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: warning capabilities with advanced intelligence-gathering systems. Domestically, Israel's Central Elections
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: Committee has announced it found no evidence of compromised election
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: integrity following a thorough review of complaints. The committee examined
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: thousands of inquiries from political parties and the public regarding
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: the Knesset's 26th elections. Official results are set to be
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: presented to President Isaac Herzog. However, the Likud party sharply
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: criticised the committee's findings, with representative Sagi Keisler accusing the
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: CEC of failing its duties, leaving hundreds of complaints unaddressed
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: and abandoning democratic values. In economic news, a well-known bakery
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: in Tel Aviv, Abelafia, has been issued a 30-day administrative
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: closure order. This is the second time the establishment has
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: faced closure for the same offence within six months, after
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: it was found to be employing three undocumented workers. For
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: continuing coverage of antisemitism around the world, Listen to Antisemitism,
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: Watch from Clockwork Media. Find it at clockworkmedia.org slash watch.
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: I'm Noah Levi, thank you for listening to Israel Today
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: Ongoing War Report. Stay informed. Follow Israel Today Ongoing War
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: Report in your podcast app so you don't miss the
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: next update. Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view.