Former President Donald Trump has stated that Saudi Arabia must formally recognize Israel in order to secure a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States. Trump made these remarks following the announcement of the deal on Wednesday, which has raised concerns among experts about the potential for nuclear proliferation in an already volatile region.
Trump emphasized that the agreement would be limited to peaceful, non-military uses of nuclear technology, asserting that there would be “no enrichment of material” involved. However, he added that the deal’s approval is contingent upon Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states. These accords, initially brokered by Trump during his first presidential term, have so far included the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with Sudan, Morocco, and Kazakhstan joining subsequently.
The former president has expressed a strong desire to bring Saudi Arabia into the accords, which would represent a significant development in Middle East diplomacy. In May, Trump attempted to link Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Abraham Accords to a broader peace initiative with Iran, but the kingdom declined to commit at that time.
Saudi Arabia has yet to respond publicly to Trump’s latest statements. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, has reportedly indicated privately that Saudi Arabia cannot normalize relations with Israel without a viable path to Palestinian statehood. Domestic opposition is significant, particularly given recent hostilities, including Israel’s military operation in Gaza following Hamas attacks on October 7, which resulted in a high number of Palestinian casualties. Any move toward official recognition of Israel could spark substantial unrest within Saudi Arabia.
In addition, the crown prince has previously warned that Saudi Arabia would seek a nuclear weapon if Iran were to develop one. Reports in U.S. media have suggested that the nuclear cooperation deal could eventually allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, raising further questions about the long-term implications of the agreement.
The prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and acquiring advanced nuclear technology remains a key focal point in regional politics, reflecting the complex interplay between efforts to curb Iran’s influence, address Palestinian statehood aspirations, and prevent nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.