From the Liveblog of
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Herzog: Talk of ending US military aid ‘hit me like a bolt out of the blue’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
After US President Donald Trump says there is an agreement with Israel to end American military aid by the end of the year, President Isaac Herzog says he did not know about any such plan.
“The issue of American aid worries me greatly. Greatly,” he says during a meeting with Yashar party representatives at his residence in Jerusalem.
“It hit me like a bolt out of the blue,” he continues, pointing out that the current MOU runs through 2028.
Herzog says protecting ties with the US is a key reason to make sure Israel builds a government and avoids another round of elections.
US officials also indicated they were taken by surprise, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said he wants to phase out aid over the course of a decade.
The Times of Israel Community.