US Democratic senators introduce bill to restrict F-35 sales to UAE

Two Democratic lawmakers in the US senate have introduced a bill aimed at restricting Washington’s plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as part of a declared congressional bid to secure the Israeli regime's alleged military advantage in the region.

The legislation, introduced by Senators Bob Menendez and Dianne Feinstein, would require the White House to certify that Israel's military edge would not be jeopardized before the US starts selling its most advanced military aircraft to West Asian countries.

"Ensuring that the United States and its crucial partner in the Middle East, Israel, maintain their critical qualitative military advantages over all potential adversaries is enshrined in law and must be one of the highest priorities of any president and Congress," Menendez, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

"This rush to close an F-35 deal by President Donald Trump before the end of his term could well undermine that objective," he added.

Under Menendez and Feinstein’s bill, Washington would also have to certify that in 180 days and every year for 10 years the Israel's qualitative military edge has not been undermined after the delivery of the aircraft.

“Congress has an obligation to make sure that the most sophisticated US weaponry be limited to our use and that of our most trusted allies,” Feinstein said in a statement.

“That’s why this legislation places significant limits on this or any future administration’s ability to sell the F-35 aircraft to the Middle East, where it could threaten our interests and Israel’s military edge in the region,” she added.

UAE cannot buy security through normalizing ties with Israel: Iran FM

The Iranian foreign minister says the UAE cannot become more secure through a deal to normalize relations with Israel.

The Trump administration has been working to advance Abu Dhabi’s longstanding request to buy F-35s after the UAE and Israel signed a normalization agreement at the White House in August.

Reuters reported last month that Washington and Abu Dhabi hope to have an initial deal on the F-35s by early December.

Israel and the UAE, on August 13, reached a deal that will lead to a full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two sides, in an agreement apparently brokered by US President Donald Trump.

The agreement sparked anger in the Middle East and elsewhere, with Palestinian leaders describing it as a “stab in the back” by an Arab country.

For decades, Washington has refrained from Middle East arms sales due to its Israel policy to ensure Tel Aviv’s alleged qualitative military edge (QME) in the Middle East. This had applied to the F-35, denied to Arab states, while Israel has bought and deployed it.

Israel planning to overtake US in selling arms to UAE: Reports

Despite his public opposition to the US arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Israeli prime minister privately condoned a plan for the sale of American – and even Israeli – weapons to Abu Dhabi, media reports say.

Moreover, Israel itself seeks to have a share in the lucrative arms market of Persian Gulf kingdoms, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE who spend lavishly on high-tech weapons.

The American and Israeli arms sales to the UAE are also believed to be part of their plan to arm Persian Gulf kingdoms to counter what they call the “Iranian threat”.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk