Israel has begun taking possession of allotments of F-35 stealth jets from the US. Although many reports describe the transfer as an Israeli “purchase” of the aircraft, under an unpopular ten-year $38 billion aid deal, Israel will receive fifty of the jets at no cost.
Results from a public opinion poll of 1,000 American adults fielded through Google Surveys reveal widespread popular opposition to the transfer. 62% of Americans are opposed providing the jet fighters to Israel, while 35% support the transfer and 3% have other responses.
The survey was fielded between August 29 and September 4 and has an RMSE score of 7.4%. Individual response data is available from Google.
Many believe the jets will be modified by Israel to carry nuclear weapons. The US has adopted a policy of gagging official statements or release of US government information about Israel’s nuclear weapons program. However, in 2015 a federal judge forced the DOD to release a report confirming Israel’s expansive nuclear weapons production laboratories and work on hydrogen bomb development. More