Israel Matzav

The F-35 sale and Obama's relations with Israel

You may recall that last week, Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided to submit an order for 20 F-35 joint strike fighters at a cost of more than $2 billion. This was far less than the 75 that the IAF originally wanted to order.

The reason for the 'small' order isn't just the cost. And the small order says a lot about the state of Israel's relations with the United States under Obama. I know, this is probably the third piece I've run in the last day and a half trying to show you that relations are still strained between Israel and our biggest ally. But it's important that you understand where and why those relations are strained.

Washington has attached unprecedented restrictions to the F-35 sale — restrictions so severe that Israel’s defense establishment agonized for months over whether to sign the deal, and ultimately opted to buy only 20 planes instead of the 75 the Israel Air Force originally sought.

First, as Haaretz reported last month, the U.S. refused to supply a test aircraft as part of the deal for the first time in 40 years. From the Phantom in 1969 through the F-16I six years ago, every previous American sale of fighters to Israel has included an experimental aircraft that Israel can use to test new systems or weapons it is considering installing in order to upgrade the planes or adapt them to particular missions. Effectively, the paper said, this refusal means “upgrades will not be implemented during the plane’s service in the IAF.”

Second, Washington initially refused to let any Israeli systems be installed in the plane, and finally reluctantly agreed to what various Israeli reports described as “minor changes” or “a few” systems (though holding out the carrot that more might be allowed if Israel ultimately commissions more planes). This, too, is unprecedented. Previous deals have given Israel great latitude to have its own systems installed on American-made aircraft, and have also allowed other countries to install Israeli systems — with the result that “between 10 percent and 15 percent of every new F-16 made in America, for instance, consists of Israeli systems.”

The restrictions so incensed Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz that he has appealed the purchase to the cabinet. His ministry says they would deal “a major blow to Israel’s defense industry” and particularly “hurt development of new Israeli missile systems.” On an issue as militarily important as purchasing new fighters, Steinitz has no chance of prevailing against Barak. But for a senior minister to publicly challenge such a deal is itself unusual.

It’s a testament to the depth of Israel’s support both in Congress and among the American people that even a hostile president only dares impair the security relationship at the margins, where he can hope it won’t be noticed. But precisely because the F-35 restrictions will fly below most Americans’ radars, they’re a telling indication of where Obama’s heart really lies.

And now we know the real reason why Israel only ordered 20 planes and not 75: Barak is hoping that Obama will be gone by January 2013, two years before the first jet is delivered, so that there will be a chance to upgrade them.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:12 AM