Islamabad, 4 November, 2026 (Nosheen): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly concealed US President Donald Trump’s decision to end American military assistance to Israel two years ahead of schedule, despite being aware of the move several months before the latest Knesset election, according to Israeli media reports. Writing in Haaretz, military analyst Amos Harel said Trump had disclosed that Netanyahu was informed of the decision to terminate annual US military aid in December 2026 instead of 2028, and that both leaders had agreed to the arrangement. However, Netanyahu did not share the information with Israeli voters before Tuesday’s election. The announcement, made by Trump during an interview with Fox News, reportedly caught senior Israeli officials by surprise and raised concerns about funding for weapons purchases and military projects planned over the next two years, The Jerusalem Post reported. Harel argued that the decision reflected a weakening of Israel’s strategic position under Netanyahu amid the ongoing regional conflict. The existing military assistance agreement, signed in 2016 under former US President Barack Obama, provides Israel with $3.8 billion annually through 2028. Trump indicated that he did not intend to renew the agreement, arguing that Israel had sufficient economic and military strength to defend itself, although the United States could intervene in the event of a serious emergency. The timing of the announcement also attracted attention as Americans voted in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Several Democratic candidates had campaigned on ending US military assistance to Israel, arguing that American taxpayers’ money was being used to support Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which they described as genocide.