US President Donald Trump has warned Israel of a military aid break, linking the decision to the criticism of the democratic candidate for Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, to unconditional American support for this country.
Trump stated that Israel does not need American financial assistance and can buy military equipment with its own money. He praised the annual US aid to Israel in about four billion dollars.
According to CNN, US aid amounts to about $3.8 billion a year, of which 3.3 billion are used for the purchase of US military equipment, while $500m goes to joint missile defence programmes.
Trump’s announcement comes at a time when an important race for the American Senate is under way in Michigan. Democrat candidate Abdul El-Said, a physician and public health expert, aims to become the first Muslim in the US Senate.
El-Sayed opposes unconditional military assistance to Israel and supports the ban on selling American weapons to this country. It also calls for public health insurance for all Americans and for reducing the influence of major donors in politics.
Trump directly mentioned El-Sayedin in his statement, criticising him and other aid opponents for Israel.
Why should we endure the attacks of mad men like Abdul El-Said, when Israel doesn’t need this money? Trump said.
The issue of Israel’s assistance has also caused divisions within the Democratic Party. Former Democrat Senate candidate for Michigan Haley Stevens, who lost the preliminary election to El-Sayed, withdrew support for him and supported Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
Trump said the suspension of aid would remove an electoral argument on the left and that the saved money could be used to balance the US federal budget. /Telegraphy/