Israel’s political opposition has erupted in criticism over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s silence on a reported US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement, branding it a potential “strategic disaster” for Israel.
Tel Aviv, Israel – Web Desk: According to Israeli media, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned that the deal could ultimately pave the way for Saudi Arabia to acquire nuclear weapons. He argued that every military nuclear program begins as a civilian one, citing Iran as an example, and said allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil would cross a red line. Lieberman said Israel must strongly oppose the agreement, warning that it could trigger a nuclear arms race across the Middle East, and urged the Israeli government to lobby the US Congress to reject the deal — even at the risk of open disagreement with President Donald Trump. geonewsurdu
He further cautioned that any nuclear facilities established in Saudi Arabia could become targets for potential Iranian strikes.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak added that, based on available reports, the agreement reportedly contains no condition requiring Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel — a development he described as a sign of eroding trust between Netanyahu and Trump.
Democrat Party leader Yair Golan said Netanyahu’s policy missteps had made the previously “impossible” deal possible for Saudi Arabia, warning that other Middle Eastern nations may now seek similar nuclear arrangements with Washington.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli officials fear the agreement could open a pathway for Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium domestically. An Israeli source cited by the paper said that even if the deal were accompanied by an announcement normalizing Saudi-Israeli ties, uranium enrichment rights for Riyadh would not be good news for Israel.
Background: The US-Saudi Civil Nuclear Deal
The Wall Street Journal has reported that President Trump has formally approved a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. The deal is reportedly worth several billion dollars and spans 30 years, granting Saudi Arabia access to nuclear energy technology. Analysts say the agreement could also pave the way for uranium enrichment on Saudi soil.
The proposal has reportedly been under negotiation for years. At one stage, the Biden administration had insisted that such technology only be shared with Saudi Arabia if it normalized relations with Israel — a condition Riyadh has so far declined to accept.
