Aiming for regional peace, could normalization deals spark arms race instead?
“Given that opposition to the F-35 sale has been overwhelmingly Democratic, one might conclude that it has been largely politically motivated. But Foundation for Middle East Peace President Lara Friedman dismissed the assumption. ‘Supporting Israel’s QME is something that members of Congress — even those critical of Israeli policy — take very seriously,’ she said. “The idea that Israel lives in a tough neighborhood and needs these kinds of weapons that others don’t have has been beaten into the psyche of those on the Hill,” the head of the dovish DC-based organization said. ‘So when all of the sudden Congress members are being told by the White House that they need not worry, it’s rattling.’”