Israeli watchdog urges investigation into Netanyahu's reported plan to end US defense aid

The Movement for the Quality of Government has urged Israeli law enforcement authorities to investigate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reported initiative to end US defense assistance to Israel. The watchdog raised concerns about a possible connection between the proposed move and US President Donald Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu in Israel's 2026 election.

In an appeal filed on November 3, the group requested a criminal investigation to determine whether there was reasonable suspicion of offenses including breach of trust or bribery of a foreign public official. It addressed the request to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, the State Attorney, the Israel Police commissioner and senior police investigators.

The request followed a statement by Trump that he and Netanyahu had agreed to end roughly $4 billion in annual American defense aid to Israel. According to Trump's account, Netanyahu initiated the proposal. The watchdog's appeal asks authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding that reported agreement and the process that led to it.

MQG said the reported decision had been reached without participation by Israel's defense establishment or the IDF. It pointed out that the existing assistance agreement is scheduled to run through 2028 and estimated that ending aid over the agreement's two remaining years could deprive Israel's defense funding of approximately $7.6 billion.

The group also questioned how the reported agreement fit with Netanyahu's previously stated intention to reduce reliance on American assistance gradually over a decade. Its appeal sought details about who took part in the decision, whether the Defense Ministry and Finance Ministry were consulted, and which assessments informed the move.

Investigators were also asked to examine whether an improper connection existed between the reported aid agreement and Trump's public support for Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli election. MQG separately raised questions about the significance of publicizing the agreement on the day of the US midterm elections.

Attorney Yaniv Goldberg, who heads MQG's Economic Department, said defense funding should not be used in exchange for personal political support. He described the reports as raising serious questions about a possible overlap between national interests and Netanyahu's political interests.

Goldberg also called for public disclosure of the agreement and its consequences. “The public is entitled to know what was agreed upon in its name and who will pay the price,” he said.