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.
Speaking to reporters Saturday night, Netanyahu said the sale only came up after the diplomatic pact with the UAE was signed at the White House last month. "Only after signing the agreement, the Americans told us that the Emirates, which always asks for F-35s, is asking permission from us to consider this thing practically," Netanyahu said.