Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that Israel is a robust economy and no longer needs American financial assistance.While addressing the financial relationship with Washington, Netanyahu outlined his administration’s strategy on key security and geopolitical issues, including state sovereignty, regional military presence and diplomatic engagement.“I want to stop American aid. It’s like welfare; I don’t want it,” Netanyahu said.“Our economy is no longer a small economy… we can finance ourselves with this fraction of a per cent of our GDP that we receive from the United States. I want this process to start this year,” he added.He also reiterated his administration’s opposition to Palestinian statehood, saying, “We will pursue an active security policy—we won’t sit back and wait behind fences.”“As for rebuilding settlements in Gaza, you have to be ready to act first and talk afterwards. Sometimes it’s better to separate the two. That’s why I’m not going to add anything further on that subject,” he added.Netanyahu also confirmed that Israeli forces would maintain their operational positions inside Lebanese territory to counter security threats.“We didn’t leave Lebanon. We have effectively established this security belt—about 10 kilometres inside Lebanon—with the agreement of the Lebanese government. And, of course, Hezbollah is outraged. The same is true of Iran,” Netanyahu said.During a visit to troops deployed in northern Israel, Netanyahu reiterated that the military presence would continue until the threat from across the border was eliminated.“Our position is clear: we will not leave southern Lebanon until the threat has disappeared. And as long as Hezbollah is armed and threatening us, we will stay here,” he said.His remarks came after Lebanon and Israel signed a US-brokered framework agreement aimed at maintaining long-term stability and advancing the demilitarisation of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.Under the agreement, any future withdrawal of Israeli troops will depend on the Lebanese government establishing designated security zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces assume full responsibility for maintaining security.
