This is not really addressing my overall point. What you call "lobbying" is clear exploitation, as well as the vast minority of foreign aid sent to Israel.
> it's likely Israel would have continued (at least for some time).
On a skeleton crew, maybe. The sticking point was not research, but manufacturing - Israel would have bankrupted itself buying the jet's supply chain. Hence, I think it is safe to say that the political aspect was a bluff. Israel's only option for financing the jet was a catastrophic break from their allies that they were not willing to commit to.
> There was no "threat", just preparations.
"threat" and "preparation" are not mutually exclusive adjectives.
> it's likely Israel would have continued (at least for some time).
On a skeleton crew, maybe. The sticking point was not research, but manufacturing - Israel would have bankrupted itself buying the jet's supply chain. Hence, I think it is safe to say that the political aspect was a bluff. Israel's only option for financing the jet was a catastrophic break from their allies that they were not willing to commit to.
> There was no "threat", just preparations.
"threat" and "preparation" are not mutually exclusive adjectives.