US-Israel Military Talks Set for May to Transition from Aid to Joint Defense Partnership

The Jerusalem Post reported that discussions between the United States and Israel on the future of their military relations will start in May. These talks will address transitioning from traditional military aid to funding for joint defense partnerships.

The negotiations are anticipated to shape the partnership for at least a decade. The talks represent a change from previous discussions, which centered on maintaining or increasing aid to Israel. Instead, the focus will be on phasing out aid over time and replacing it with resources for collaborative projects.

Israeli sources indicated the talks will span about four months, concluding before Israel's Knesset elections in October and the US midterm congressional elections in November. The start was delayed due to the war with Iran and Hezbollah earlier in 2026.

Future events involving Iran and Lebanon could further postpone the discussions. According to a report by Calcalist cited in The Jerusalem Post, the phase-out of US military aid to Israel is expected to occur over 10 years. This aligns with the standard decade-long memoranda of understanding between the two countries.

The current agreement runs from 2019 to 2029, with the next one planned for 2029 to 2039. The urgency stems from the need for multi-year planning for programs funded under these agreements. For instance, acquiring certain military items by 2039 requires establishing parameters several years in advance.

A central element of the talks will involve the details, timelines, and extent of joint military and technological initiatives. Israeli officials stated that potential projects include laser air defense systems, defenses against hypersonic missiles, and artificial intelligence applications.

Past discussions by officials have mentioned possible collaborations in quantum computing, space technologies for offense, defense, and surveillance, and robotics. The Jerusalem Post confirmed that Israel seeks flexibility in using funds due to rapidly evolving technologies and threats.

The US team, as reported by Calcalist, includes the US secretary of state, a senior adviser, and the US ambassador to Israel. The Defense Ministry stated that the defense-strategic cooperation between Israel and the United States is deep and rooted in shared values.

The ministry added it is committed to deepening this partnership by transitioning from aid to joint efforts to maintain a qualitative edge for both nations.

These talks occur amid shifts in US attitudes toward foreign military aid. In the US Senate, 40 out of 47 Democrats recently voted to block weapons sales to Israel. This followed a May 2024 decision by the Biden administration to partially freeze weapons sales to Israel in protest at the IDF’s invasion of Rafah.

A growing segment of Republicans supports scaling back aid to Israel. This aims to avoid situations like the Rafah invasion, where concerns over US-provided munitions influenced operations. Debate continues on whether sufficient funds will be available after aid reduction, with some expressing concerns about potential gaps.

Israel does not produce its own fighter planes and is expected to request additional F-35 aircraft beyond existing purchases. It remains unclear how Israel would maintain air superiority if future US administrations halt F-35 sales. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first publicly proposed shifting aid to joint ventures in anticipation of changing US politics.

In December 2025, the Heritage Foundation suggested phasing out aid between 2032 and 2047, a proposal that drew criticism at the time. Sources told The Jerusalem Post that Israel had always envisioned a 10-year wind-down period. The previous memorandum, signed in 2016, provided $38 billion over 10 years, focusing on F-35 and F-15-EX jets, KC-46 tankers, helicopters, and $500 million annually for aerial defenses like Iron Dome.

Most aid must be spent with US manufacturers. Israel’s defense budget has risen to NIS 144 billion following events after October 7, 2023, with calls for further increases of tens of billions annually.