New York: – The US Senate has approved the proposal to supply super-advanced F-35 fighter jets and other weapon systems to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Following opposition from the Democrat party, President Trump had threatened to use the Veto right to get the proposal passed. But following the decision of the Senate, blocks have been cleared for the defence cooperation worth $23 billion. Israel also announced that it has no objection in UAE acquiring the F-35 fighter jets.
President Trump had announced the supply of F-35 fighter jets, MQ9 Ripper drones and other weapons to UAE. President Trump had expedited the proposal in the US Senate, to get the clearance before Joe Biden became the US President. But the Democrats in the Senate announced that they would not clear the proposal, blaming that UAE, involved in the Yemen conflict, is guilty of genocide. Infuriated President Trump had threatened to use the Veto right to get the proposal cleared.
Against this background, the proposal for supply of F-35 was passed with 49-47 voted in favour and for the MQ9 Ripper Drones with 50-46 voted in favour. The leaders of the Democrat party criticised the decision. Whereas, Republican party leaders, including President Trump, welcomed the decision. Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer clarified that Israel, who has initially opposed the sale of F-35s to UAE, has no objection to this sale anymore. Whereas, AIPAK, the Israel supporter group in the United States also said that it would not object to the sale.
Israel is already equipped with F-35 fighter jets. It is claimed that Israel has used these stealth fighter jets for attacks in Syria. Israel had taken a stand that the United States should not supply these super-advanced fighter jets to the US allies in the Gulf. But the Israeli stand changed following the establishment of cooperation between Israel and UAE. But an angry reaction is expected, from Iran, on the US decision to supply F-35s to UAE. Iran has already accused that the United States is supplying these F-35s to UAE only against Iran.
Meanwhile, the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE have accused that the Iranian nuclear program and the manufacture of ballistic missiles is responsible for the tension in the Middle East. Whereas, the United Kingdom, France and Germany along with the United Nations, also have raised doubts regarding the Iranian stand. Russian Ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, claimed that it is the conflict between Israel and the Arab countries and not Iran, that is responsible for the tension in the Gulf region. Viktorov claimed that this tension has been created because of the attacks on the Hezbollah locations in Syria.
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