Netanyahu: Israel to spend $110 billion to develop independent arms industry in next decade

Netanyahu’s comments came about a month after he denied reports that his country was seeking a new 20-year military aid deal with the US.

By Reuters and Algemeiner

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would spend 350 billion shekels ($110 billion) on developing an independent arms industry to reduce dependency on other countries.

“We will continue to acquire essential supplies while independently arming ourselves,” Netanyahu said at a ceremony for new pilots.

“I don’t know if a country can be completely independent, but we will strive … to ensure our arms are produced as much as possible in Israel,” he said.

“Our goal is to build an independent arms industry for the State of Israel and reduce the dependency on any party, including allies.”

Netanyahu’s comments came about a month after he denied reports that his country was seeking a new 20-year military aid deal with the US, insisting that Israel was working to wean itself off American assistance.

“I don’t know what they’re talking about. My direction is the exact opposite,” Netanyahu said on “The Erin Molan Show” last month when asked by the Australian journalist about a new Axios report saying Israel was pursuing the security agreement.

According to Axios, the deal under discussion would include “America First” provisions to win the Trump administration’s support.

The current 10-year memorandum of understanding between the two countries — the third such agreement signed — expires in 2028.

It includes around $3.8 billion of annual military aid to Israel, which spends nearly all the assistance in the US to purchase American-made weapons and equipment.

Netanyahu’s latest comments come amid growing criticism in the US among progressives and, increasingly, some conservatives over American military support for Israel, especially among younger Americans.

“Now, I want to make our arms industry independent, totally as independent as possible,” Netanyahu said last month. “I think that it is time to ensure that Israel is independent.”

Netanyahu added that US defense aid to Israel is a “tiny fraction” of what Washington spends in the Middle East.

“We have a very strong economy, a very strong arms industry, and even though we get what we get, which we appreciate, 80 percent of that is spent in the US and produces jobs in the US,” he continued, saying he wants to see “an even more independent Israeli defense industry.”

The Israeli premier went on to stress that his country has never asked a single American soldier to fight for Israel.

“Israel does not ask others to fight for us,” he said.

“Israel is the one American ally in the world that says, ‘We don’t need boots on the ground, we don’t need American servicemen fighting on the ground for Israel or around Israel. We’re fine.’ We fight our own battles, but in doing so, we serve important American interests, like preventing countries that chant ‘Death to America’ from having nuclear bombs to throw at America.”