Israel expects to maintain access to more advanced US weaponry, a government spokesperson says when asked about Washington’s plan to sell F-35 warplanes to Saudi Arabia.
Israel is the only Middle East country operating the F-35, one of the most advanced warplanes ever built. US law guarantees Israel a “qualitative military edge” in the region.
“The United States and Israel have a long-standing understanding, which is that Israel maintains the qualitative edge when it comes to its defense,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian tells reporters.
“That has been true yesterday, that has been true today, and the prime minister believes that will be true tomorrow and in the future,” she adds.
Bedrosian’s remarks are the first official comment from the Israeli government on the Saudi sale, announced earlier this week by US President Donald Trump.
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