Israeli envoy to US: Israel 'very comfortable' with sale of F-35s to UAE

Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer says Israel is “very comfortable” with the potential sale of American F-35s to the United Arab Emirates.

Recent days have seen growing criticism in Congress of the Trump administration’s planned $23 billion arms deal with Abu Dhabi.

“We have our security officials sit with US security officials anytime there is an arms package being proposed,” Dermer told MSNBC during a joint interview alongside Emirate envoy Yousef al-Otaiba.

Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, at an event in Detroit, June 4, 2018 (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

“We went through that process with the United States and we strongly believe this agreement, this arms package will not violate or undermine America’s commitment to maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge… So we’re very comfortable with this moving forward.”