Engel: 'I'm concerned UAE F-35 deal will undermine Israeli security'
"I think it is inevitable that the Saudis will come to the table."
By OMRI NAHMIASU.S. Congressman Eliot Engel addresses the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Thursday that he is concerned with the news that the United States plans to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates. He said he also hopes more Arab countries would normalize relations with Israel."I think it's wonderful," he said, following the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain last week. "I hope more countries join in. I think Iran has to be isolated, and I think we on our way to do it."Engel spoke with Yaakov Katz in a video interview at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference. He also addressed the possibility that Saudi Arabia would normalize ties with Israel, and said: "I think it is inevitable that the Saudis will come to the table."Watch the full conference>>Speaking about the possible arms sales of F-35 jets to the UAE, Engel said: "I'm concerned about it because once you lose that qualitative military edge, it's a slippery slope. You need to work with these countries, they are our allies and they are potential allies to Israel, but we just cannot do anything that could potentially cause Israel to lose the qualitative military edge."Engel, who lost his primary bid to the progressive candidate, Jamaal Bowman in June, also reflected on the US-Israel ties after serving three decades in the House. "I take pride in the fact that the US and Israel are the closest friends," he said. "It doesn't really matter to me who's elected, and who's not elected. I want the US-Israel relationship to be stronger and stronger, and I think I've been a strong part of it.”
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