US Senate Rejects Bid to Halt UAE Arms Sale  

The United States Senate on Wednesday voted down two separate resolutions aimed at blocking the sale of advanced weapons and fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates by the administration of President Donald Trump. The votes, mostly along partisan lines, mean the blockbuster transaction is expected to proceed, at least until President-elect Joe Biden takes office and reviews it. Democrats complained that the White House was rushing the massive arms deal through without affording Congress enough time to properly evaluate it. President Trump on Wednesday threatened to veto the resolutions if they passed the Senate. The planned sale of $23 billion worth of high-tech arms and F-35 stealth fighter jets to the UAE, first revealed by the Israel daily Yediot Aharonot back in August, caused a major uproar in Israel. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was accused of secretly approving the deal without consulting his defense minister and military commanders, in his rush to secure a normalization pact with the Emiratis.