Biden affirms US support of Israel with pledge of F-35 delivery by 2016
The US will deliver to Israel fifth generation stealth aircrafts in 2016, US Vice President Joe Biden said in Washington on Thursday as he pledged his country’s firm commitment to defend the Jewish state from its regional enemies.
“Next year we will deliver to Israel the F-35 joint strike fighter, our finest, making Israel the only country in the Middle East with a fifth generation aircraft,” Biden said at an Israeli Embassy event to celebrate Israel’s 67th Independence Day.
Israel bought 19 F-35s in 2010 for $2.75 billion and signed a contract in February to buy an additional 14 of the Lockheed Martin Corp fighter jets for about $3 billion.
Biden’s appearance at the event comes after months of heightened tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama over Israel’s fierce opposition to US support for a deal which curbs, but does not eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons program.