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America in the Middle East

US employing double standard on arms sales?


By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
June 14, 2005

Washington last week demanded Israel sack four senior defense officials over the planned sale of Israeli-made UAVs to China against the express wishes of the Bush Administration.

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuval Steinitz responded Tuesday by noting that while Israel's defense ties with the US were of the utmost importance, the latest demand was ?illegitimate? and ?humiliating.?

Israel and the US ?must establish a mechanism to ensure that arms are not sold to potentially rival states of either countries,? Steinitz told Israel Radio, alluding to the ongoing US sale of advanced weaponry to Arab nations openly dedicated to Israel's demise.

Steinitz insisted there must be ?reciprocity in ... relations? with Washington.

Earlier in the month, Israel Air Force commander Maj.-Gen. Eliezer Shkedi visited Washington to again ask the Bush Administration to stop providing Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other hostile neighbors with weapons that degrade Israel's qualitative military edge.

?We are worried about the damage caused to Israel's qualitative military edge as a result of the newest arms sales to the Arabs,? Ynet quoted Shkedi as telling his American hosts.

Shkedi explained that ?advanced weapons systems allow a mediocre pilot with a mediocre platform to become a very effective threat.?

Steinitz noted last month that while Egypt has a peace treaty with Israel, it is currently the only regional power actively preparing for war with the Jewish state through ongoing training and an otherwise unnecessary arms buildup.

Egypt uses much of its $1.3 billion in annual US military aid to purchase large quantities of some of the more cutting-edge American-made weapons.

Israel's neighbors pose an existential threat to the Jewish state, and have attempted on three occasions to eradicate what they call ?the Zionist entity.?

China, meanwhile, threatens US interests abroad, but poses no direct physical danger to American citizens.

Steinitz suggested the current mini-crisis with Washington was more about promoting the US military industry by stemming competition.

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