CHANGE: US plans sale of F-35 fighter jets to UAE in $23B arms deal.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had authorized the sale in keeping with the administration’s Middle East peace efforts. The notification to lawmakers follows the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE, under which the Arab states have agreed to normalize relations with Israel.

“This is in recognition of our deepening relationship and the UAE’s need for advanced defense capabilities to deter and defend itself against heightened threats from Iran,” Pompeo said in a statement.

Israeli officials have previously expressed some concern about an F-35 sale because it could affect the balance of military power in the region. But Pompeo said it would be “fully consistent” with the longstanding policy of maintaining Israel’s qualitative military advantage.

The sale, worth up to $23.37 billion, includes 50 F-35s, 18 advanced armed drone systems and a package of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.

This sale — and the resulting improvement of the Arab world’s defense posture vis-a-vis Iran — wouldn’t be possible without Trump’s “impulsive” Middle East policy.