TEL AVIV, April 14: The United States has suspended Israel from joint efforts to produce a new warplane, in protest at the Jewish state’s defence dealings with China, an Israeli newspaper said on Thursday citing US sources.

The Pentagon included Israel among foreign partners in developing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in 2003.

Under the deal, Israel was promised first purchase of the advanced warplanes due out next decade, ahead of non-partner nations.

But Maariv daily said Washington suspended Israel from the JSF project after alleging it had violated a US export ban by upgrading China’s fleet of Israeli-supplied Harpy attack drones.

The United States, which gives Israel some $2.

9 billion in aid annually, has opposed past Israeli arms sales to Beijing, citing concern that the technology could be used against its ally Taiwan in any conflict.

Officials at the US embassy in Tel Aviv were not immediately available for comment on the Maariv report.

Israel had denied wrongdoing in the Harpy deal, calling it routine repairs.

The Israeli Defence Ministry declined comment on the Maariv report, saying only that US ties were good.—Reuters