A report on Thursday night that the Trump administration is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalise relations with Israel as condition for talks on Riyadh’s civilian nuclear programme has taken Israel by surprise.
Under the Biden administration, the nuclear talks were part of a broader framework that linked Saudi ambitions for a US defence pact to formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
From Israel’s perspective, uranium enrichment on Saudi soil is highly problematic. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he has warned for years against a Saudi deal that includes uranium enrichment. “It’s inconceivable that [Binyamin] Netanyahu is silent while a deal is forming that could spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and potentially put nuclear capabilities in the wrong hands,” he said.
Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel, made it clear that he also opposes the move. “Normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel is essential,” he said.
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Israeli concern over reported Trump shift on Saudi nuclear talks
The major shift in United States foreign policy followed the dramatic announcement earlier this week from Donald Trump that the US military is ending its campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen, despite the fact that the Iranian-backed group made it clear that it will continue to fire rockets and drones at Israel. “We were shocked that the Trump administration didn’t tell us anything and we learned about it from the television,” one Israeli official said.
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The feeling in Israel is that when it comes to Trump’s Middle East policy Israel is no longer in the loop and prime minister Netanyahu’s assertion that “there is no light between Israel and the US” no longer holds true.
Trump seems to have taken the decision to stop waiting for Israel to end the war in Gaza and to move ahead with regional initiatives without co-ordinating with Netanyahu. And Israel is concerned that major announcements from Trump on Iran and Gaza that Israel will find it difficult to live with may be imminent.
Next week Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He will not visit Israel.
Trump announced the start of talks with Tehran on Iran’s nuclear programme during a White House meeting with Netanyahu last month – again taking Israel by surprise. He reiterated on Thursday that he’s trying to work out a deal with Iran without having to use military force.
The Sunni Muslim Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, believe the US is close to a deal that will permit Iran – where Shia Islam is dominant – to maintain a civilian nuclear programme with enrichment capacity. A similar deal with Saudi Arabia is seen as a way of allaying Riyadh’s fears over Iran’s intentions.
Trump also wanted an agreement to end the Gaza war before his Gulf visit and appears to be growing frustrated over the lack of progress. The Gulf states want Trump to end the war in Gaza or at least clinch a long-term truce, along with a resumption of humanitarian aid.
On Friday, US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Trump ordered aid to be brought into Gaza as soon as possible without direct Israeli military involvement in the distribution.
Israel’s hope for normalisation with Saudi Arabia seems to be off the table for now, as does the possibility of a decisive military strike against Iran’s nuclear capabilities, assuming a deal is agreed between Washington and Tehran.
Netanyahu’s assertion that he is the only Israeli leader who truly understands how Washington works and his boast of a unique personal bond with Trump appear to be ringing hollow.
