US restrictions on arms sales and technology transfers to Israel are focused on the Joint Strike Fighter program and are not being applied across the board, a Pentagon spokesman said.
"We had some restrictions within the Joint Strike Fighter Program that we've discussed," said Lawrence DiRita, the Pentagon spokesman. "And it's mostly restrictions on technology going forward in that program."
The United States has taken the action over concerns about Israel's sales of arms and technology transfers to China.
"It's not a uniform freeze but it's a case-by-case basis," said Bryan Whitman, another Pentgon spokesman.
The US concerns are reported to center on an Israeli deal to upgrade Harpy Killer drones that it sold to China.
The Haaretz newspaper reported this week that Washington is demanding Israel provide details of more than 60 percent of recent security deals with China and its arms export trade in general.
Haaretz said that in addition to the Joint Strike Fighter project, the United States also has suspended cooeprationon other high tech military equipment used by ground troops.
Contact has also been "disrupted" at the top echelon between the Israeli defence ministry and the Pentagon, with Israeli phone calls not answered, it added.
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, in a speech in Singapore earlier this month, highlighted US concerns that a rapid Chinese military buildup is putting a risk the military balance in the region.
The Pentagon is expected to issue a report to Congress later this month detailing the buildup.
