Syria: Israel-U.S. fighter jet deal destabilizes region
Speaking at Arab League summit in Libya, Syrian FM expresses disappointment at Netanyahu's decision not to extend settlement freeze.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Arab League Syria US Israel USSyrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Saturday that a recently finalized deal, in which Israel would purchase 20 U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jets, would destabilize the region.
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F-35 stealth jet. |
Under the contract signed Between Israeli and U.S. delegates in New York last week Israel will get 20 of the warplanes for more than $3 billion, which would be delivered by approximately 2016. It has an option for 75 more.
Speaking at the Arab League summit in Libya, the Syrian minister expressed disappointment at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision not to extend the 10-moth settlement freeze in order to continue talks with the Palestinian Authority.
An Arab League committee said on Friday it endorsed the decision of the Palestinian leadership to halt talks with Israel over renewed construction in West Bank settlements.
The committee of Arab foreign ministers, which handles issues related to the peace process, also expressed hope that the United States would keep up pressure on Israel to halt settlement building, the group's chairman told reporters.
Last month, a ministerial panel headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak made a final decision to purchase 20 new F-35 fighter jets, despite opposition from a number of senior defense officials over the high cost of the deal.
The entire deal will be funded by American military.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem exits a meeting at the UN, Friday, Sept. 24, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
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israel is gross
Start posting as we get them in 15 minutes or you are fired.
The Israel-U.S. fighter jet deal destablises the region? What about the rocket attacks against Israel? What about Iran funding the people who indiscriminately attack Israeli and Western people?
Most of the cost involved in the 20-unit sale will be covered by U.S. military aid to Israel, which currently runs at around $3 billion a year, plus Israel's defense industry will get around $1.4 billion in contracts for components for the jets.
what about your scud delivery and training to the the gang called hezbollah?
Oh please like the region is stable now with Gaza, Lebanon, Syria; and Iran on the North and south borders of Israel. The only way to prevent war is to make any calculations by the other side add up to; it not a good idea; we will lose. Israel should be able to buy F-22 Reapers, but that won’t happen because the BHO admin cancelled the program; making it impossible for the US to buy any more of them let alone Israel. J Carter did the same thing to the B1, but after Carter we got the B1. I would rather see the best equipment in the world in the hands of another democracy defending freedom rather than in the hands of countries like Lebanon or Iran.
Its the reason they interfered with and destroyed Lebanon and continue to supply Hezbollah with arms. Now all of a sudden they are concerned?
There are a number of Americans talking about the occupation by Israel... Well what about the American occupation of America it self? The early colonists and latter with the west migration of the pioneers stole the land from the American Indians, and forced the into reservations or death or have you forgotten your American history nd the Wounded Knee incident ,which killed thousands of Native American Women and children during a forced march to a reservation! Even today the native americans live in abject poverty , which is ignored by the American mainstream Media. So what I m saying is don't cast stones because you are not perfect either!
Israel is blaming Syria for Hezbollah training with rockets. At the same time Israel is purchasing F-35, the most sophisticated airplanes and submarines to be equipped with rockets with atomic bombs. Please be aware that the world is watching you as the most aggressive state in ME. You will not survive with weapons, only with peace with your neighbors. You are not the God´s chosen people, you are at morally bancrupt country belonging to the groupe of pariah states.
"Waahhhh...waahhhh...waahhhh...sniff...sniff...sob...sob" Hey syria, you want some cheese with that whine?
Too bad so sad. if you dont cause trouble we wont have to use these F35 on you. Simple no?!
I suppose that 40,000 hezbollah rockets are not a security risk. Assad is opting out of any chance of getting the Golan back.
By the time Israel gets the F-35s, Iran will be a memory and Nasrallah will have converted to Christianity.
When the tid turns these will become expensive white elephants and a part of the parasitic military apparatus which will sink Israel. Let the BDS campaign bite and the economy falter and the dying US empire wil not be able to bail out its regional proxy.
around the world ready to kill civillians wherever and whenever they are displeased. A few fighters are going to change the balance?? Syria also has lots of credit for the latest Russian equipment.
The F-35 will allow Israel to attack neighboring nations with less chance of losses. As israel already has this capability, all the F-35 will really do is extend the current capability for another generation. Syria is wrong in asserting that the region will be 'destabilized' by the F-35. The region is already unstable, it is unstable because there is no balance of power in the region. The F-35 will enhance neither Israel's arrogance, or Syria's weakness.
GOOD!
Since Syria is part of teh axis of ev il, the S does not support it, and hence they have no say about teh f35. Syria does not like teh fact Israeli F35 will be able to fly around damascus and not be seen on radar. bad news for Hizbullah and their Anti aircraft radars too. Too bad so sad. Perhaps Syria should smarten up and staret being a white hat instead of a Ahmedinajad black hat
First –Without F 35 Jet fighter Israel is strong enough against the entire Islamic nations, second –Saudi Arabia also will receive F 35 Jet fighter too, Third –there is Israeli technology in F 35 Jet fighter, Forth-why there is not complain from Syrian against F 35 Jet fighter that Saudi Arabia will receive? Is not the Saudi Arabia is Israel enemy? In the end give up your dream for destruction of State of Israel,
He's got an uncanny resemblance to Ariel Sharon!
A hunger strike would be more effective !!
The Stuxnet virus seems to be doing the trick just fine. When Iran, Syria, or Hezbollah pushes the button, their bombs will explode on the launching pad. If the US (Obama) didn't make the stupid decision to scrap the F-22 fighter jet, Israel and Japan would have placed their orders for them. The F-35 was Israel's only option for a stealth fighter jet. How many US jobs and US military sales will be lost by this stupid decision? Also, the US tried to bribe Israel with the F-22's if they promised not to bomb Iran.
In a region where Israel is already an overwhelming military power, such deals send a signal that Israel is acting not towards peace but towards fulfillment of Jabotinsky's vision that "your neighbours don't need to like you- so long as they accept you". Via creating facts on the ground (settlement construction) and increased armament (these aren't even defensive missiles and weapons), Israel is not aiding the cause of peace to say the very least. Imagine if Iran or Syria end up buying up to 100 Sukhoy fighters from Russia! The media will be wailing over it for days.... it's one thing to urge Iran and Syria to work towards peace and end their support for movements that obstruct that objective (like Hezbollah and Hamas); while this is legitimate, Israel must also quit the hypocritical stances and honor its commitment to peace
is just paying back in kind - or don't we remember the constant lamentations from Israel when a weapons deal with Syria is published?
History says it was USSR supported Arab states, quite a few decent years before the U.S joined in. Glass houses, thor..
Its not much of a race if none of those (less than just) regimes don't have weapons or the resources to get them. Also, I don't think you are seeing any revolutionary weapons being created specifically because of the situation in the middle east.
You forgot the USD 60 Billions arms to Saudi Arabia. Where do you put these arms??
First, I am using both names to avoid confusion with other Victor(s) that post here from time to time, I read the article twice. At one place the word "purchase" is used whereas elsewhere that the "purchase" will be funded by the U.S. Can I look for a clarifica- tion from Haaretze or elsewhere?
It goes like this: the USA *gives* Israel $3.5billion a year to buy whatever US military hardware takes its fancy (minus a 20% skim-off). So while it is true that Israel is "purchasing" these planes from Lockheed, the money is actually a gift from Uncle Sugar Daddy. The controversy is that Barak "only" gets $3.5billion from Uncle Sugar, and some think that this one purchase takes too big a bite out of that allowance.
The aid that many point out that israel receives from usa is in defense spending - nearly $3 billion. the deal though is in the form of a type of loan, where israel weapons purchase must be from american companies. that may be a reason for the switch of language, not sure though
'simple really,they will 'purchase" the weapons with the dollars AIPAC blackmails from the USA.
For a variety of reasons, no one on either side of this debate will want to be clear about the arrangement. America is one of the only lenders that Israel has and Israel has perfect credit, but these loans should never be lumped in with the Military Aid, which has a lot of strings attached because it is not free money. Israel is being "Paid" with these grants to develop technology and to make politically harmful decisions. Even if the funds are allocated, just to be spent on American Weapons, when Israeli Weapons would be better, they exist primarily to hinder what would otherwise be competition for American Contractors. While America gives a lot of free money to countries like Pakistan, who finance their entire country on it and have plenty leftover to finance the Taliban, American "Aid" to Israel, while only two percent of the Israeli Budget, is spent only on this sort of project and often, at the expense of other, wiser projects. If Israel is buying "This" jet, someone in America who may or may not have good intentions, wants Israel to be using this jet.
Israel will be getting them and if Syria doesn't like it and that makes Syria and her Iranian friends nervous about attacking Israel that is indeed a good thing!
The u.s gives isreal billions every year for defense spending with the condition that at least 80% of it is spent with u.s companies like lockheed, general dynamics, etc. Its not really a "purchase" they basically get to decide what they get for free from the U.S, plus a 20% bonus......
It is easy to clarify the matter. Israel never pays for anything and they continue post things to make it sound like they are. The only way that Israel has ever pay for anything is with other loans provided by our congress. Our congress has no problem giving 98 million each aircraft to Israel while our veterans often sleep in the gutter. Our people starve and need help but we are broke providing an advanced aircraft at 98 million each which has not real reason to be in the IDF other than it is a way to get advanced secrets so they can sell it to our enemies. Just think of the f35 as J. Pollard aircraft.
both give us some help (planes and subs) otherwise we'd feel us in dead danger.
Germany does not have ridiculous preconditions on their sub sales precluding their valid use. The Dolphins can have their electronics, sonar, power cells and weapons systems replaced with ones that actually work. Not so these jets.
You give an order and get it for free and everyone is boiling in anger over here. Cuts everywhere in Germany but money enough to deliver subs for free.
the only danger to israel is from the israeli goverment, enough is enough!! i see videos of Benjamin Netanyahu asking for aid to help its starving children then i see this, its a joke!!
They have developed the ability to track Stealth planes using television signals. Which is why television stations are now bombed and why after the F117 was shot down over the former Yugoslavia the Chines Embassy was 'accidentally' bombed. Don't kid yourself Israel if you think this is a panacea for all your problems forget it, 20 aircraft are not enough to destroy Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Does anyone dream with destroying ambitions? Dictators perhaps. But human beings can only destroy other human beings & themselves. Don't kid yourself if you think otherwise. If it was a metaphor, it was a little bit excessive. It speaks.
It would be racist not to give it to the other Arabs as well Of course selling to Israel would not meet the approval of the Moslems in Britain so be careful not to offend them unless you want "behead those who insult Islam" type riots
linthtwat trying his teachering hehas no knowledge of,but just writes pft,pft,pft if you get my drift.
They won't be available until 2015/2016,by which time the whole scenario will have changed. Israel does not want these planes to destroy Iran's nuclear sights,anyway Iran's nuclear program would have advanced to a stage where an attack would be suicidal for everybody.
This was the bombing of Iraq's nuclear reactor. Since then, the IDF was sent by politicians into unworthy operations. Let us review them: 1. The 1982 First Lebanon war. An operation designed to last 2-3 days lasts weeks and the IDF enters Beirut. In its wake, Hizballah is created, casualties abound, and the IDF finally escapes in 1999. Of course, the political leadership is responsible. 2. The 2006 Second Lebanon war. Israel responds to a military border incident by attacking civilian targets. A whole war is developed, and a million Israeli civilians have to excape their homes. No forward thinking by the political leadership and bad performance by the IDF. 3. The 2007 bombing of alleged Syrian nuclear reactor. The IAF carries out a brilliant attack, except that it would have been much better not to destroy the facility but to inform IAEA, then see Syria under UN sanctions, as Iran is today. Syria got off scot free, and a nuclear facility there never certified officially by IAEA. A major failure of Israeli statesmanship. 4. The 2008 Cast Lead in Gaza. What should have been an operation lasting a few days is prolonged to 3 weeks of bombing, with multiple war crimes committed. Another major failure of the political level. Reminds one of the excess in the flotilla incident. CONCLUSION: Get rid of trigger happy politicians, replace them by Kissingers.
Israel's enemies prefer lately to fire their missiles hiding behind women and children rather than fight a true war with Israel. Maybe you didn't notice yet ...
A lot of times a successful military operations is distorted in propaganda to create a fake reality for everyone to live in. How can thousand to one losses be turned into victory to some of these countries? Simple, people are idiots and will buy just about anything if it is repeated often enough and we are just too outnumbered to out chant the enemy. If we kill them we are vilified for killing them, if we let them live they declare victory and we are called losers. There is no way to reason with our irrational foes, the IAEA is worthless, just like every other global political entity where out fifty enemy states get together every year to vote on whether or not we should be allowed to live. Bemoan those "Trigger Happy" types, no one may bother to "Pull the trigger" to protect you when your child's life is in enemy hands.
Explains why Nazirallah still spends his time hiding in his roach hole after 4 years
When we took out their nuclear reactor. Oh, how soon they willfully forget. The IAF is one of the best in the world. Inform IAEA? That sure worked with Iran. Silly rabbits.
If ISrael ac ted like Kissinger and jaw jawed all teh time she would have been wiped out. The Un as we all know only goes after Israel and not Syria or others. UNHRC as an example . So ISrael takes out Syrias nuke reacotr the world breathes easier is that such a bad thing. Not to worry about HiZbullah. Its all comming to a head. Hizbullah is building a magnificent martyr machine, and has 15,000 men, 60 thousqand rockets and only 700 launchers. Lebanon shortly will be a Hizbullah state by coupo detat. That is once the Un Tribunal indicts Hizbullah. even if Hizbullah cutrs off funding, teh other sponsor countries can fund it so teh tribunal continues. They would probably do this to take Hizbullah down a notch or six. I truly pity Lebanon as its about to get a pasting from Hizbullah
1982 the IAF trashed the entire Syrian Air force in one week. 82-0and as far as all your other clap trap, that's all it is clap trap. Kissinger the beard of Richard Nixon.'s cabal and the the architect of the Christmas bombing, not trigger happy, naw.
What did the dictator of Syria, the one that inherited the country from his bloody dictator father (that killed 20,000 dissidents in one week) say in the dictatorship of Lybia (the one that will be inherited by the dictator's son)? Who cares?
Planes don't win wars the pilots do: In the 80s when Syrias jets were more modern than they are now and Israels not as good as they are today the IAF shot down over 100 Syrian jets and didn't lose a single one of their own. Problem is Syria trains its pilots to do two things TAKE OFF AND EJECT landing and fighting seem to be skills they don't learn whilst the IAF are taught better to fight and land with your plane intact rather than ejecting from it. The people who have to worry about F35 are Israeli taxpayers. Twenty planes don't make an airforce and at this price we can never replace the F16 as was originally planned, by the time we have a substantial number the F35 will be old technology. We need many more F35s for it to ever be worth buying and in future they won't be paid for with US military aid it will be through Israeli taxpayer money and the government is going to be stuck with the dilema of what area of the IDF do we neglect. As for Syria let Assad and his ministers cry because even Obama can't afford to stop this deal because Lockheed Martin need it.
You must of meant American taxpayers are the ones to really worry. It's well known the U.S pampers Israel with weapons. And this deal is just like every other one before. As for Israel not losing a single plane, you should have visted Haaretz the past few days where they showed pictures a destroyed Israeli planes in Syrian museums.
You must of meant American taxpayers are the ones to really worry. It's well known the U.S pampers Israel with weapons. And this deal is just like every other one before. As for Israel not losing a single plane, you should have visted Haaretz the past few days where they showed pictures a destroyed Israeli planes in Syrian museums.
And who knows, maybe a few S-400's may be included.
Weapons and battlements do not alone make for security. Reconciliation and partnership make an enduring peace. Is it not time for Israelis to awaken to the potentials for peace and stability?
Peace and stability with the Arabs, where have you been for the past 10 years. The followers of the peace loving religion are killing and maming everybody in sight. Every terrorist is a muslim, get a clue with your misguided ideals
That being said, this aircraft is a worthless and overpriced piece of garbage, slow, clumsy, short range, small payload, unreliable engine and compromised electronics. Good thing the Syrians don't know that.
if you actually knew anything about this aircraft your assertions would be glowing. Oh! I get it. You work for the IDF and you want everyone to think that this miracle of modern warfare is a piece of junk so that its enemies will take it for granted. wink, wink...
It is to churn money into the pockets of the Military industrialists and the politipuppets they control.
don't ever forget that
Even if they don't have the whole twenty miles between Jordan and Egypt, the Arabs will have plenty of African, Asian, European and American Countries to Rule over.
don't ever forget that.
Pardon my French but f... Syria. They have the chutzpah to complain that the US-Israel F35 deal will destablize the region when they are busy preparing Hezbollah for their next war with Israel? And what's this about opposition from: "senior defense officials over the high cost of the deal?" The last time I checked zero still equaled no cost to Israel. If Lebanon is foolish enough to start another war with Israel, Israel should give Syria something real to complain about.
#1 - It is conceivable that it might have serious consequences for you.
And the Jews will be pushed to the Sea like they threatened so many times.
hope they all got swimming lessons-yo
As Israel won in 73 when odds were stacking against us, in 82 in defend the security of the north, and 2006 when hezbollah raided the border. I'm surprised you even try to hide the fact that the Arabs want to destroy all of Israel, that's something they usually openly declare.
Yeah, Israel hasn't won a war, that's why they have less territory; oh wait, Israel gave it away. Are you from Egypt? lol
There are other less expensive options out there at less than half the inflated price. The Euro Fighter Typhoon is the leading one. At any rate, Israel needs to needs to continue to strengthen its own aerospace capabilities especially in the areas of unmanned aircraft and space based systems. It is also vital that Israel wean itself from unreliable allies like the Americans.
And do you think Israel can consider Europe to be reliable if Israel were to buy a plane there? They would in an emergency hold back on parts, cancel future orders, squeeze Israel to give in to Euro-trash pacifism.
Maybe it is, but the price would have to be paid from the Israeli treasury i.e. the Israeli taxpayer would foot *that* bill. But the F-35 is funded ENTIRELY from US military aid i.e. the price is paid from the US treasury using US taxpayer dollars. Didn't you know that?
why do you guys always pit the hand that seeds you i wounder where would you be at now with out the USA governments help. ops i meant to say with out our tax payers help
From your lips to God's ears. Israel should wean itself from having us as an ally and reject our diplomatic and financial support.
wasting time haggling about back door access that is, Israel's need to create their own avionics that are mission-specific to its own needs. As a result, the price of the Lightening has doubled. At this price there are several options that even Lockheed’s so called bought-in-partners on the project are considering walking away from, i.e. Norway, Italy and Spain. The plane just isn't worth it. By the time the IAF takes delivery everyone and their brother will have so-called 5th gen capabilities, including the Iranian through Chinese planes it will no doubt receive in exchange for guaranteed oil supplies. Israel flew French Mirages for years very successfully and created all the spare parts and engines by itself going so far as to develop a new variant called the Kafir. As a result the Americans quashed any further fighter aircraft development and forced Israel to fly F15s and F16s. America builds great stuff, but they are no longer the only great game in town. India, China, Japan and soon even Taiwan all have advanced stealth fighters up and flying. It’s time Israel cut away from the American ball and chain. The price is way to high, Obama just showed Israel how reliable America is.
BTW Chrissy in 73 the only reason the US helped Israel at virtually the last moment was because the Reds threatened to send reinforcements to Egypt.
Even with the silent UN approval, Assad did not succeed to have an upper hand in the conflict.Time to whine,Walid.
You mean the J10, also known as the Jet Design that China Stole from Israel?
Algeria handed back their MiG 29's because they were inferior quality
It still wouldn't matter because Syria's pilots are nowhere near as well trained.
These aircraft will be put to good use against Syria's future nuclear projects ! They are also practically free because the U.S. will give that much and more in financial assistance in the next 3 years . Israel also benefits because they make and sell parts for the F35. The best military equipment will not compensate for a coward of a defense minister, however !
The only part of the aircraft that Israel has any use for, is the Advanced Helmet Mounted Display that Israel is making for it. Without Israeli Electronics, the only real edge this aircraft has, will be compromised.
What you don't know about building an advanced fighter can fill a library.
those poor Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese, Iranians etc etc. LOL
Muslim Population is 1.82 billion . JEWISH POPULATION 13,296,100.
very high numbers don't mean strength!
Economics dictates what happens in the world. The old money printers are not what they used to be. There is a wind blowing from the East. As in chess, situations can turn very quickly. Hubris is surely one of man's worst sins.
"Big numbers are useless when the 1.82 billion population is illeterate." illeterate? Errrrr... illiterate. My apologies, but I just couldn’t let this one go by. ROTFLMAO
There is nothing more dangerous than hundreds of milions of poorly educated, barinwashed people that have nothing to loose.
You wrongly think you're leterate given. Just look at your reccurring BS posts. Poor Chafeeka!!!!
useless for an intelligent conversation, perhaps, but they can pull 1.82 billion triggers.
They are disapointed that the palestinian Authority chose not to enter into negotiations with the ISraeli government during the former ten month construction freeze. Once again palestinians missed the boat. Syria is simply playing games with words. Syroa needs to undertsnad that its support for Hizbullah doing a coup in lebananon will have serious consequences for Assad.
israel needs to end itsoccupation and use true diplomacy with all its Arab neighbours in order to be a part of the Middle East.
The IDF should sart recruiting danish soldiers
Arabs, invaders from Arabia, occupy the whole of North Africa and the ME. They used to occupy Iberia too, but were kicked out. Why can Arab Morocco occupy Western Sahara? Does that bother you? And why can Arab Syria and Arab Iraq (+ Muslim Turkey and Iran) occupy Kurdistan? Why can Arabs have 22 countries, 2 in Palestine, Jordan and Gaza and Kurds have none?
I doubt you are truly an American, for you seem to put the interests of an extremely paranoid, racist nation above those of the United States of America, the country I swore to defend from all enemies, foreign and domestic. You are a traitor, just like the Fifth Column that is AIPAC.
Tony goes first
Whether we call the country Iran or Persia it is still the same country. Israel or Palestine.... as the Romans named it .....has always been a part of the middle east.
The biggest baloney. preferensing Israel over any spurious "peace" the Arabs offer. Crux of the matter is: They do not want peace,but piece by piece of Israel.And that they are never going to get it!