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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 627

QME Qualitative Military Edge

Israeli F-35i and American F-15 jets hold an exercise over Israel, November 29, 2022. (Israel Defense Forces)
May 26, 2025, 2:39 am
Trump’s huge Saudi arms deal may be limited by US pledge to preserve Israel’s military edge
As Riyadh eyes advanced weaponry, Washington’s commitment to Israel’s defense supremacy means coveted F-35 fighter jets likely won’t be part of $142 billion in potential sales
By Stav Levaton and Agencies
Defense Minister Benny Gantz (L) and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet at the Pentagon on December 9, 2021. (Defense Ministry)
December 9, 2021, 11:28 pm
Gantz meets US defense chief, says Iran is ‘playing poker with a bad hand’
Pentagon chief Austin says US prepared for ‘other options’ against Iran if diplomacy fails to block nuclear weapons program
By ToI Staff and Agencies
Colin Kahl, delivers a speech during a panel discussion as part of the US-Islamic World Forum in the Qatari capital Doha on June 1, 2015. (AFP via Getty Images)
March 18, 2021, 4:56 pm
Israeli ex-security officials back Biden nominee who’s on ice over Israel record
3 generals who worked with Colin Kahl say he was instrumental in securing funding for Iron Dome and dedicated to preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge
By Ron Kampeas
Illustrative: US Air Force F-35A Lightning II’s at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, on November 16, 2019. (Joshua Williams/US Department of Defense)
November 19, 2020, 7:47 am
Three US senators seek to stop sale of advanced jets to UAE
F-35 deal, seen as linked to Abu Dhabi’s normalization pact with Israel, would ‘facilitate a dangerous arms race,’ Chris Murphy says; bid to thwart it faces uphill battle
By AFP and ToI Staff
An Israeli Yasur heavy transport helicopter flies over Hatzerim air base in southern Israel on June 24, 2015. (Oren Rozen/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)
November 16, 2020, 7:03 pm
Top defense official: Israel must replace aging aircraft before it’s too late
In wide-ranging briefing, Defense Ministry director discusses budgetary woes, arms sales and the push to shore up Israel’s military edge in light of F-35 purchase by UAE
By Judah Ari Gross
Illustrative: Fighter jets from the IAF's second F-35 squadron, the Lions of the South, fly over southern Israel. (Israel Defense Forces)
October 29, 2020, 8:18 pm
White House informs Congress of plans to sell as many as 50 F-35s to UAE
Informal notice of $10.4 billion sale gives lawmakers opportunity to raise objections before it moves forward, comes days after Netanyahu gave blessing to transfer
By Jacob Magid
Prototype of the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator at a firing range in White Sands, New Mexico, March 14, 2007. (AP/Courtesy of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency)
October 27, 2020, 9:33 pm
Bipartisan House bill will encourage US to sell bunker buster bombs to Israel
Proposal would require DOD to consider transferring long-sought munitions capable of penetrating Iran’s underground nuclear infrastructure, but move faces considerable hurdles
By Jacob Magid and Judah Ari Gross
Illustrative: US Air Force F-35A Lightning II’s at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, on November 16, 2019. (Joshua Williams/US Department of Defense)
October 25, 2020, 2:51 pm
Justice minister compares Netanyahu secrecy on F-35s to submarine graft case
Several critics see echoes of scandal in which government allegedly secretly okayed sale of advanced arms to Egypt in newest affair, as PM is accused of hiding talks with US, UAE
By ToI Staff and Judah Ari Gross
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz hold a press conference in Tel Aviv on July 27, 2020. (Tal Shahar/Pool/Flash90)
October 25, 2020, 12:21 am
Netanyahu, Gantz trade accusations about alleged secret F-35 talks
After Israel agrees to not oppose US supply of the stealth fighter jet to UAE, defense minister accuses PM of hiding weapons deals from defense officials; Netanyahu denies it
By Judah Ari Gross
Israeli and American F-35 fighter jets take part in a joint exercise over southern Israel on March 29, 2020. (Israel Defense Forces)
October 23, 2020, 9:44 pm
Gantz accuses Netanyahu of hiding UAE F-35 talks from Israeli defense officials
Accusations come just after Israel says it will not object to US sale of ‘certain weapon systems’ to the Gulf nation in exchange for receiving substantial military upgrades
By ToI Staff and Jacob Magid
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu inspecting an Adir F-35 stealth fighter at the Nevatim Air Force Base on July 9, 2019. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
October 23, 2020, 8:24 pm
In sharp about-face, Netanyahu, Gantz approve US sale of F-35s to UAE
Netanyahu says he’s rescinded his objections to sale of ‘certain weapons systems,’ after US vows to upgrade Israel’s arsenal to maintain its regional military edge
By Jacob Magid
52 F-35 jets line up for a launch exercise at Utah's Hill Air Force Base in show of force and combat readiness amid US-Iran tensions, January 6, 2020. (US Air Force/R. Nial Bradshaw/Twitter screen capture)
October 13, 2020, 3:36 am
Aiming for regional peace, could normalization deals spark arms race instead?
With Gulf states linking advanced US weapons sales, including F-35s, to peace deals with Israel, only solution to maintaining Jewish state’s edge may be to sell it more arms too
By Jacob Magid
An F-35 fighter jet pilot and crew prepare for a mission at Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, August 5, 2019. (Staff Sgt. Chris Thornbury/US Air Force via AP)
October 11, 2020, 7:08 pm
Israel will oppose any US sale of F-35 jets to Qatar, minister says
Safeguarding military edge in region is top priority for Jerusalem, Eli Cohen says following report Doha made purchase request
By ToI Staff
US Air Force crew members beside an F-35 Lightning II at the Paris Air Show June 18, 2019. (AP/Michel Euler)
October 7, 2020, 11:51 pm
After UAE, Qatar also said to submit request for F-35 jets
Gulf state’s ties with Hamas could make bid a non-starter for Americans, who are committed to maintaining Israeli military edge in the region
By ToI Staff
In this August 5, 2019, photo released by the US Air Force, an F-35 fighter jet pilot and crew prepare for a mission at Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. (Staff Sgt. Chris Thornbury/US Air Force via AP)
October 3, 2020, 8:59 am
Bipartisan bill proposed to give Israel veto on US arms sales to Middle East
Legislation would require US president to consult with Jerusalem to ensure qualitative military edge concerns are settled; proposal comes ahead of planned sale of F-35s to UAE
By Ron Kampeas
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