A day after Reuters reported on an emerging deal between the US and the United Arab Emirates over the sale of the advanced F-35 aircraft despite Israeli concerns, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman reassured Israelis that the country's qualitative edge was no imperiled by the reported transaction.
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In a pre-recorded interview with as part of The Jerusalem Post's Annual Conference on Wednesday, the US envoy said that the advanced plane, which gives Israel air supremacy in the region, would not be phased into service in the Gulf country anytime soon.
"The Emirates have been trying to get F-35s for six or seven years," Friedman said. "And the delivery time is probably another six or seven years from now."
According to unconfirmed reports in the US and Israeli media, the recent peace agreement between the UAE and Israel was made possible after the Trump administration said it would sell F-35 aircraft to the country, potentially offsetting Israel's decades-old military edge over all Arab air forces.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that an initial deal between Washington and Abu Dhabi was to be signed in early December, although the implementation would likely take at least 4 years and that the aircraft could be given a different radar system that would ensure Israeli superiority. It is unclear if a deal is indeed being drafted, as there has been no official confirmation.
In the Jerusalem Post interview on Wednesday, Friedman was asked if any such deal could have an adverse effect on Israel's qualitative military edge. Friedman replied: "QME is a matter of law, not a matter of policy. It has been US law since 2008, and US policy a lot longer than that.
"Israel has dealt with the QME behind the scenes professionally and successfully for more than a decade, it is going to continue to work this way."
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