Israel Defense Officials Plan Washington Talks on Military Aid and Options

Israel’s senior defence and foreign officials are set to travel to Washington next week. Defence Ministry director‑general Gen. (ret.) Amir Baram will lead a delegation to the Pentagon and Congress to launch negotiations on a new defence memorandum of understanding that would replace the current US‑Israel aid pact, which provides about $3.3 billion in annual procurement and $500 million for air‑defence cooperation and expires in 2028. The talks aim to shift the relationship toward a broader partnership that creates jobs in the United States and may eventually reduce direct aid to zero.

At the same time, Israel’s defence and foreign ministries are planning high‑level meetings in Washington, including a visit by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The preparation is described as a signal that a “military option” remains on the table while US‑Iran negotiations stall, reinforcing Israel’s diplomatic leverage and warning regional adversaries. Both delegations seek to secure a new framework for security cooperation amid regional volatility.