Washington's Aid: A 'Social Allowance'!

Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likened the financial aid provided by the United States to Israel to a social welfare benefit, announcing his desire to begin phasing it out amid disagreements between the two sides, particularly regarding Iran. Netanyahu stated during an interview with Channel 14, broadcast Tuesday evening, “I want to stop American aid. It is more like a social benefit. I do not want it.” He claimed that the Israeli economy is no longer classified as a small economy, but has become capable of self-reliance and fully covering its own costs. He argued that U.S. funding represents a small portion of Israel’s gross domestic product and that Israel now possesses sufficient financial capacity to cover this amount entirely from its own resources. When asked by the International Criminal Court, which has charged him with war crimes in the Gaza Strip, whether he wanted to stop receiving U.S. aid, he replied, “Yes.” He added that he envisions a ten-year period that would gradually reduce Israel’s dependence on the United States. He further noted that when he was first elected prime minister in 1996, he told the U.S. Congress that Israel would pursue an economic revolution based on a free market and would ultimately become independent of American economic aid.