Analysts saw the deal as posing little threat to Israel, and, in the way it deepens US-Saudi ties, actually benefitting the Jewish state.
Israeli leaders as a matter of habit will criticise the deal, said Yiftah Shapir, a military expert at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University.
"But in this case it's not a real threat to Israel. We really have to see it as directed against Iran. In this case, Israel and Saudi Arabia are on the same side. They are not used to it," he said.
That's awfully agreeable of the Israelis. Sure, the fighters would deploy against Iran. But in theory, at least, they could be used against Israel in the highly unlikely event that Egypt, Syria, and Jordan allied to wage war on Israel.
So the fact that Saudi Arabia and Israel both see Iran as a common foe wouldn't stop an Israeli effort against the sale, even if the purpose was just to leverage something from America or Saudi Arabia. In my opinion, at least.
And if I was in charge of Israel, what would I want from Saudi Arabia? Why, an air corridor through Saudi Arabia and possibly permission to temporarily set up on the ground inside Saudi Arabia in case Israel decides to strike Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
And from America I'd want a green light for such an attack and perhaps permission for damaged Israeli planes to land at American controlled air fields closer to Iran.
When a potentially $90 billion arms sale seems to be greased for easy passage, I have to wonder why.
