Israel and the United States are negotiating a new multiyear military aid agreement, with Tel Aviv seeking to secure a deal before a new US Congress takes office in January, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Monday.
The negotiations come amid concerns in Israel that political changes in Washington could create obstacles to continued military assistance following the November 3 midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of Congress from President Donald Trump's Republicans.
Direct military aid could be phased out
According to the report, direct US military assistance to Israel would not end immediately, despite Trump's previous remarks suggesting otherwise.
Direct military aid is expected to be reduced by nearly half through shortening the usual 10-year framework to five years after the current agreement expires in 2028, the Israeli paper said.
Direct US military assistance will then end altogether after the five-year period, it added.
At the same time, Washington is expected to increase funding for the joint development of air and missile defence systems from the current level of $500 million annually to an undisclosed sum, according to the report.
The current annual allocation stands at $500 million, although the proposed increase has not been disclosed.
Long-standing US support under discussion
Successive US administrations have provided Israel with extensive military, financial and diplomatic support.
Washington has remained a key military and diplomatic backer of Israel throughout its genocidal war on Gaza, which began in October 2023.
The reported negotiations could reshape the terms of that long-standing security relationship in the coming years.
