US Links Saudi Nuclear Deal to Israel Recognition, Expanding Abraham Accords

The United States has made Saudi Arabia's nuclear program cooperation conditional on Riyadh normalizing relations with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords, a significant shift from initial announcements. This linkage was confirmed by the White House, which stated the deal would not proceed without Saudi recognition of Israel.

This strategic move connects Saudi Arabia's access to American nuclear technology directly to one of former President Donald Trump's primary Middle East objectives: broadening the Abraham Accords. For Saudi Arabia, the nuclear program is part of its strategy to reduce oil dependency and meet growing energy demands. Trump, however, leverages the potential deal as a powerful negotiating tool.

The Abraham Accords, signed in September 2020, saw the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain establish full diplomatic ties with Israel, followed by Morocco. Sudan also agreed to move in that direction, though the process remains incomplete. These agreements facilitated embassies, direct flights, trade, and cooperation in technology, energy, tourism, and security. They marked a diplomatic shift, as participating Arab nations no longer waited for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to establish official relations with Israel.

Riyadh has subtly supported this regional rapprochement, notably by opening its airspace to all airlines, including those flying to and from Israel, in 2022. This was interpreted as a symbolic step toward normalization. Recognition by Saudi Arabia, a major economic and political power in the Middle East and custodian of Islam's holiest sites, would be a significant diplomatic achievement for Israel, potentially encouraging other nations to follow suit and fostering new regional partnerships.

Geopolitically, such an agreement would strengthen the U.S.-Israel-Saudi axis against Iran. It could also limit China's influence in the region.