UAE official says F-35 request 'legitimate,' not connected to Israel deal
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said an arms deal should be easier now that his country inked a deal to normalize ties with Israel.
The United Arab Emirates’ desire to purchase the F-35 fighter jet is legitimate, a top Emirati official said Thursday, saying the military hardware should be easier to procure now that his country is normalizing ties with Israel.
“This is something on the table,” UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said during a virtual event hosted by the Atlantic Council. “We have legitimate requests that are there. We ought to get them. The first time we made this request was six years ago.”
“The whole idea of a state of belligerency or war with Israel no longer exists,” Gargash said, adding that the proposed sale is “not connected” to the recent agreement it reached with Israel.
Last week’s US-brokered deal saw the UAE become the third Arab state to recognize Israel. In exchange for the Jewish state suspending its planned annexation in the West Bank, the two countries have agreed to set up reciprocal embassies and cooperate on a range of issues including technology, tourism and security.
