Eisenkot: Trump’s aid cut shows Netanyahu “must go”

Israel’s main opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot seized on Donald Trump’s announcement that US security funding to Israel will end, calling it proof that Benjamin Netanyahu can no longer be trusted and must be replaced.

“The fact that Israel’s defence establishment learned of this change in our strategic relationship from the media, at the same time as the Israeli public, shows just how dangerous Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct is,” Eisenkot said in a statement on X on Tuesday. “He can no longer be trusted, and he must be replaced.”

The former army chief’s attack came hours after Trump said the United States would stop around $4 billion in funding to Israel at the end of 2026, a move that would upend decades of security cooperation between the two allies.

A blow to Netanyahu’s strongest card

The announcement strikes at the heart of Netanyahu’s political brand. Throughout the election campaign, he showcased his close ties with Trump, welcoming the US president’s “full and complete” endorsement on the eve of the vote.

For Eisenkot, the episode is a gift. As coalition talks open, with the Yashar leader expected to receive the first mandate to form a government this week, he is framing the crisis as evidence that Netanyahu’s personal diplomacy has failed Israel’s security.

The timing could hardly be more sensitive. Israel faces a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, an unresolved conflict in Gaza and the threat of renewed war with Iran.