Following the announcement of an nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia without requiring progress toward Saudi-Israeli normalization, Democratic Majority for Israel President and CEO Brian Romick released the following statement:
“President Trump’s decision to provide Saudi Arabia access to American civil nuclear technology without any meaningful progress toward normalization with Israel is a major strategic mistake. In doing so, President Trump is squandering the prospects for a historic breakthrough and an expansion of the Abraham Accords which would help create the conditions for Israel and a future Palestinian state to live side by side in peace and security. This deal is also likely to be counterproductive to the administration’s pursuit of an agreement with Iran to curtail its own nuclear program.
“The Biden administration was right to pursue nuclear cooperation as part of a broader agreement that included normalization with Israel. By separating the two, President Trump has given Saudi Arabia a major prize without asking anything in return and could set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
“As Congress begins its review of this agreement, members must push for rigorous oversight to ensure there is no possibility for the development of a nuclear weapon, which would threaten Israel and further destabilize the Middle East. Congress must also remain vigilant about the Trump family’s longstanding financial and business ties to Saudi Arabia, ensuring that decisions about U.S.-Saudi cooperation are driven solely by America’s national security interests — not by financial or political gain.”