F-35s for 'Peace': Saudi Normalization Meets Arms Deal
According to The New Arab, Israel is pushing for a Saudi normalization deal, with the Biden administration dangling F-35 fighter jets as the sweetener. This isn't diplomacy; it's a weapons trade subsidized by U.S. taxpayers. While Riyadh gets advanced jets, Washington ensures its defense contractors get paid, and Tel Aviv gets Saudi recognition—a strategic win for Netanyahu's government, all while
Saudi Arabia's human rights record remains pristine (for PR purposes). This 'peace through arms sales' isn't new. Remember the UAE's F-35 deal in 2020 following the Abraham Accords? The playbook is consistent: reward authoritarian regimes with top-tier weaponry in exchange for formal ties with Israel, sidestepping any inconvenient demands for Palestinian rights. It raises a glaring question: How
much instability can one region endure before Washington's 'stabilizing' strategies are questioned, rather than just endlessly funded?