Israel trying to block Jordanian AMRAAMs

Israel is trying to sabotage a major American-Jordanian arms deal, according to an Israeli diplomatic source quoted in the Israeli press.

The source, quoted in Haaretz newspaper, has said Israel is trying to block the sale of AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to Jordan for fear it would impair Israel's "qualitative edge" in the region.

"It is not healthy for such weapons to be so short a distance from Israel and it is not clear why Jordan wants them. Clearly if Jordan was attacked we would do the work for them, so there is no justification to sell them the missiles," said the source....

American officials have expressed astonishment over the Israeli concerns, saying that Jordan poses no threat to Israel and this latest about-face may cause a rift in relations between the two countries.

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I think there is nothing wrong with Jordan getting AMRAAMs from the US.

Why should Israel get all the best weapons?

You know Israel needs a slap in the face, they want to be the only one in the region to have nukes and advanced weapons so they can bomb and attack civilians. I think the US needs to shut Israel up and sell Jordan as many weapons as they want.

The IAF fears anybody that has a parity with it. Jordan has played ball in regards to the war on terrorism and they have made peace with Isreal. Why not allow them to buy the AMRAAM? Its not as if the Jordanian AF represents a threat to Isreal. Isreal opposes any and all sales of advanced weapons to any country. Unless they are doing the selling or recieving the weapons themselves

Israel in the middle east is like a white guy living in South Central with the word "'n-word'" painted on his house.

Why do Israel deserve to get all the funding and modern weapons that the US give them?

I don't know a great deal about global political history.

Is it political because the US want an example they can show off to the rest of the world about democracy 'working' in a Middle Eastern state?

Or are there different reasons?

Jordan has signed a peace agreement with Israel and its army does not threaten Israel, but it is not clear why Jordan wants weapons to be so short a distance from Israel. .

But the deal is at an advanced stage and the American administration has already asked Congress for approval - I think the U.S - Jordanian arms deat will be difficult to block.

Israel is also examining various technical possibilities to ensure that the missiles are not directed against it, or to obtain an undertaking that these weapons will not reach Egyptian hands. Egypt also has signed a peace agreement with Israel, but this is a more or less 'cold' peace.


Rebekka