Voters see through America’s Israel aid deception

On the very morning of last week’s critical US midterm elections, President Donald Trump made what seemed like a shocking announcement: no more aid to Israel.

“Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping,” Trump said. He went on to make two seemingly contradictory assertions: “We won’t be paying Israel” and “We’ll help Israel if they need it.”

In truth, this prompted little euphoria among those who have long campaigned against US funding of Israel. The lack of enthusiasm can be explained by two factors: firstly, few take Trump’s pledges seriously and, secondly, his remarks were widely understood as a desperate attempt to stave off what was shaping up to be a…