Hebrew media reports suggest Bin Salman’s Washington visit may yield no results.
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, in a report published on Sunday evening, quoted US government officials as saying that it is not expected that the contract to purchase ultra-advanced fighter jets for Saudi Arabia will meet with the approval of the US President, and that the contract will not be signed during the Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Washington.
The Israeli media outlet, without mentioning the pressure and controversy that Tel Aviv has unleashed in this regard, claimed that one of the reasons for rejecting Mohammed bin Salman’s request is the Pentagon’s concern that the advanced technology of these fighters will be leaked to China.
In part, the report states: Despite increasing reports that the United States may approve the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House this week, the media outlet reported, citing government sources, that it is unlikely that US President Donald Trump will approve the major deal during the expected visit this week.
However, experts told the outlet that Trump has a “history of unpredictable actions,” so “if the crown prince convinces him, he may approve the deal.” Tel Aviv is concerned that selling the advanced aircraft to the Saudis could undermine Israel’s “qualitative superiority” in the skies of the Middle East, especially at a time when the US president needs Israel’s support to implement his 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip.
The report also states in part: Reports last week indicated that a Pentagon intelligence report raised concerns that if the deal goes through, China, a US rival, could acquire the technology needed to develop the advanced aircraft.
Pentagon officials who have reviewed the details of the proposed deal are concerned that F-35 technology could be compromised as a result of Chinese espionage or a security cooperation agreement between Beijing and Riyadh.