Israel Welcomes Trump's Saudi Ties Demand in 30-Year Nuclear Deal
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 23
Israel Welcomes Trump's Saudi Ties Demand in 30-Year Nuclear Deal
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 23
Summary
Israeli officials cautiously embraced Trump's move to make a U.S.-Saudi nuclear pact contingent on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords, shifting attention from alarm over the agreement announced a day earlier.
Netanyahu stayed silent on the nuclear deal itself but praised the normalization demand, saying the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran had opened a chance to expand regional peace.
That warmer reaction contrasted with Wednesday's concerns in Israel that the 30-year pact could fuel a Middle East arms race and show Washington pursuing regional strategy without Israel.
Analysts said Trump's condition may do little to ease Israeli worries because Saudi leaders still tie normalization with Israel to meaningful progress toward a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu opposes.
In November 2025, the Trump administration finalized a 30-year nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, now under immediate Congressional review. The deal has sparked intense debate because Saudi Arabia does not follow the highest nonproliferation standards, specifically the IAEA Additional Protocol, which is meant to help inspectors detect secret nuclear activities. A key concern is that the agreement reportedly allows Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, raising alarms among nonproliferation advocates and lawmakers about the risk of nuclear weapons development. Congress is now closely examining the deal’s provisions and the administration’s justification for moving forward.