JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday appeared to confirm that Israel has given its consent for the United States to sell F35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates following a recent agreement establishing diplomatic relations between the Mideast countries.
The expected sale would make the UAE the first Arab nation — and just the second country in the Middle East after Israel — to possess the stealth warplanes.
Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted the deal establishing ties with the UAE amounted to “peace for peace” and that arms deals were not part of the agreement. But Emirati officials have indicated there were understandings on the matter, and President Donald Trump has said the U.S. was considering the Emirati request for the planes.
Netanyahu said Saturday that the sale only came up after the diplomatic pact with the UAE was signed at the White House last month.
