Israeli Democrat party leader Yair Golan speaks during a demonstration. [Photo by Eyal Warshavsky/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images]
Israeli opposition Democrats party leader Yair Golan warned Friday that Israel’s relations with the US are facing a “deepening” crisis amid planned cuts to American military aid and a widening rift with the US Democratic Party, Anadolu reports.
“The crisis with the US is deepening, military aid funds are being cut, and the rift with the Democratic Party is growing ever more severe,” Golan said in what he described as a “situation report.”
“This is a real danger to Israel, to its security. And we have no time to waste on political games,” he added.
His remarks came days after US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington would stop providing financial assistance to Israel by the end of the year under an agreement he said he had reached with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several months ago.
Israel’s Channel 12 separately reported that the country’s Finance Ministry had been unaware of Washington’s intention to halt military assistance until Trump’s announcement.
According to the broadcaster, the annual $3.8 billion in US assistance had been expected to provide a significant source of funding for Israel’s defense budgets in 2027 and 2028.
Responding to criticism, Netanyahu’s office said US military aid to Israel had historically enjoyed bipartisan support and portrayed the planned shift as a transition “from aid to partnership.”
READ: Israeli commentator links Republican election setback to declining support for Israel in US
– Golan accuses Netanyahu of attempting power grab
Golan linked the developments in relations with Washington to Israel’s domestic political crisis following the Oct. 27 elections.
He accused Netanyahu of being “in a panic” and attempting “to stage a coup and seize power by force.”
Golan also alleged that Shin Bet chief David Zini and the security agency had “fallen into the hands of the Netanyahu family,” accusing them of serving Netanyahu rather than the state.
Alongside his warnings, Golan said the opposition’s Change Bloc was making progress toward establishing what he called a “national emergency government.”
“I’m more optimistic than I was on Wednesday morning, after the election results,” he said. “There is progress. There is willingness. And there is serious work taking place every day to turn the election results into a change government.”
He said negotiating teams from his Democrats party and Yesh Atid had met several times this week and were working to accelerate the formation of a government.
“We are also intensifying public and political pressure on Netanyahu and his partners,” he said, adding that the opposition was preparing “to take control of the Knesset as early as Tuesday.”
– Eisenkot receives backing from 67 lawmakers
The remarks came after President Isaac Herzog concluded consultations Thursday with parties elected to the Knesset.
Herzog said factions representing 67 of the 120 lawmakers had recommended Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government, while parties representing 46 lawmakers backed Netanyahu. Seven lawmakers did not recommend either candidate.
Despite Eisenkot receiving recommendations from a parliamentary majority, Herzog said it remained unclear who could assemble a governing coalition because of “mutual vetoes between the blocs and within the blocs themselves.”
Herzog said he planned to task a lawmaker with forming the government Sunday after further talks with party leaders.
The Oct. 27 elections left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats, while Jewish opposition parties secured 48 and Arab-led parties won 19. Both Arab-led lists recommended Eisenkot during the presidential consultations.
Israeli opposition leader warns of deepening crisis with US amid planned military aid cuts
Sudanese army reports territorial gains following heavy fighting with RSF in Kordofan
Israeli army deploys troops to protect settlers after they seize homes in Jericho
Ehud Barak warns Netanyahu may attack Iran to obstruct formation of new government
Egyptian airports raise alert levels amid regional developments
