Trump ties Saudi nuclear deal to Israel recognition — SkimNews
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- Trump posted on Truth Social that the US-Saudi civil nuclear deal is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, explicitly barring uranium enrichment and limiting use to "non-military" purposes.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump told Saudi leaders on multiple previous occasions that "if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off."
- The US-Saudi agreement, announced Wednesday, includes a "peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement" and a "bilateral safeguards agreement" and will be sent to Congress for review, with the IAEA saying it awaits a formal verification request.
- Saudi Arabia has previously conditioned joining the Abraham Accords on the establishment of a Palestinian state, while Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS News in 2018 that if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, Saudi Arabia would "follow suit as soon as possible."
- Defense Priorities director Rosemary Kelanic called it "quite shocking" to allow Saudi uranium enrichment, noting "the US has never helped another country enrich on their own soil" because domestic fuel production increases weapons risk.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu's office said Saudi Arabia joining the accords "would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East," while former Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman countered that "every military nuclear program begins with a civilian one."
Why it matters: The deal now hinges on Saudi Arabia dropping its precondition of Palestinian statehood — a red line Riyadh has refused to abandon. Critics including Defense Priorities warn the "civilian-only" framework contradicts the US's longstanding non-proliferation record, especially given MBS's 2018 pledge to match any Iranian nuclear weapon.
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