Officials say that during months of negotiations between the United States and Saudi Arabia over a civilian nuclear agreement, the issue of normalising ties with Israel never came up. Two US officials familiar with the talks told Middle East Eye that normalisation was never listed as a condition in dozens of exchanges since November 2025.
But less than 24 hours after the two countries signed a nuclear deal on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said on social media that the agreement is “totally subject” to Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords—the 2020 framework that saw the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco establish relations with Israel. A White House spokesperson later said, “If they don’t join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.”
The condition appeared to surprise Saudi and US officials, as Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken earlier that day. Saudi Arabia has said it will not establish official ties with Israel until Israel commits to an “irreversible path” to a Palestinian state.
The deal, known as a “123 agreement,” allows for US nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including a possible pathway for the kingdom to enrich uranium. Critics warn this could spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and undermine non-proliferation efforts. The agreement must be submitted to Congress, which could block it.