Israel have got the final say in a US-Saudi deal, because guess who's really in charge? But the Saudis are having none of it... Right, so you’d think a country that builds the jet, pays for the jet, and signs off every nut and bolt on the jet would get to decide who actually flies the thing, but apparently not, because the moment Saudi Arabia asks for an F-35 the whole decision jumps across the Atlantic and lands in the one place that’s already said it won’t give an inch on Palestinian statehood. Israel has told the Trump administration the sale only goes ahead if Riyadh normalises with them it seems, and you don’t need to squint to see what’s happening. Saudi Arabia keeps its condition — no normalisation without a Palestinian state — and Israel keeps its own — no Palestinian state ever — so instead of solving the contradiction they’re trying to  ...