Trump no longer demanding Saudis recognize Israel for nuclear deal with US — sources But deal between Riyadh and DC said to be still far from reach;
Senator Graham says he opposes any pact with Saudis that excludes normalization with Jewish state.
The United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalize ties with Israel as a condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh next week.
Dropping the demand that Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations with Israel would be a major concession by Washington. Under former US president Joe Biden, nuclear talks were an element of a wider US-Saudi deal tied to normalization and Riyadh’s goal of a defense treaty with Washington.
The kingdom has repeatedly said it would not recognize Israel without a guarantee of a viable path to a Palestinian state, frustrating Biden administration attempts to expand the Abraham Accords signed during Trump’s first term.
Under those accords, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized relations with Israel.
Progress toward Saudi recognition of Israel has been halted by fury in Arab countries over the war raging in Gaza. The nuclear talks had also stumbled over Washington’s non-proliferation concerns.
