Netanyahu slams reports of 'secret clause' to sell UAE F-35s and drones as part of peace deal

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/18/politics/netanyahu-secret-weapons-deal-uae/index.html

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed reports the US will sell stealth fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates as part of the agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the Gulf nation, tweeting that they are "completely fake news."

Netanyahu was responding Tuesday to a report in one of the country's leading newspapers alleging the existence of a "secret clause" in Israel's deal to normalize relations with the UAE -- one that would allow the UAE to buy billions of dollars in advanced military hardware from the US, including drones, F-35 stealth fighters and other weaponry.

The story raised hackles in Israel because of the potential threat to Israel's military superiority in the region. Israel has long opposed sales of strategic weapons systems to other countries in the Middle East and repeatedly raised concerns about the possibility in the weeks before the normalization deal was reached. 

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who'd only just been released from hospital following back surgery, decided the story warranted a press conference. He said the proliferation of the F-35 was "not good for Israel," adding: "We need to talk to the Emiratis, to the Americans, and make sure our security interests are being upheld."

The reports triggered widespread reaction for several reasons.

First, there's the way the UAE-Israel deal was done. Unusually for an agreement of this nature, Netanyahu kept his foreign minister and defense minister (who just happen to be from rival parties) in the dark, telling Israeli media he did so at the request of the US.

 The third reason the story has caught hold may be an August 14 interview that US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman gave to NPR. Asked if the UAE-Israel deal would mean Abu Dhabi would now get hold of advanced American weaponry, he replied, somewhat cryptically: "The more the Emirates becomes a friend of Israel, becomes a partner with Israel, becomes a regional ally of the United States, I think obviously that alters the threat assessment and could work out to the Emirates' benefit on that issue."