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Israeli President Herzog says proposed halt to US aid came as a surprise

November 6, 2026 at 2:20 pm

Israeli President Isaac Herzog (R) and his wife Michal Herzog (L) arrive at a polling station to cast their votes in the ongoing general elections for the 120-member 26th Knesset in West Jerusalem on October 27, 2026. [Saeed Qaq – Anadolu Agency]

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Thursday that the prospect of ending annual US financial assistance to Israel came as a major surprise to him, amid discussions over the future of American military support.

According to the Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv, Herzog expressed astonishment at the reported decision to discontinue the assistance.

“The issue of halting the 4 billion shekels in annual US aid hit me like a bolt from the blue,” Herzog was quoted as saying.

His remarks come amid uncertainty over the future of US assistance to Israel, which constitutes a central component of the two countries’ strategic and military relationship.

The report did not provide further details about the proposed suspension or its implementation.

The amount is reported as four billion shekels in the source, although other reports have described annual US military assistance to Israel as approximately $3.8 billion.