Jordan on Sunday defended its right to purchase an air-to-air missile system from the United States though Israel is trying to block the deal.

Jordanian government spokeswoman Asma Khader said the country has right to defend itself, adding that other countries, especially Israel, should not intervene into Jordan's interior affairs.

She said the Israeli attempt to prevent the arms deal comes in response to Jordan's influential diplomacy in the international arena.

Her statements came after reports said that Israel is trying to block the sale of the AMRAAM system.

Fearing that Jordan would eventually forward this advanced technology to Egypt, Israel has written to members of the US Congress in an attempt to torpedo the sale.

Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab countries that have concluded a peace treaty with Israel.

But relations between Israel and the two Arab states have strained since the Palestinian started Intifada (Uprising) in September 2000.

Source:Xinhua