Saudi Nuclear Deal Goes To Congress While It Waits For Saudi Arabia To Recognize Israel

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration has submitted a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, where lawmakers may review a deal the administration says will not proceed unless Saudi Arabia first normalizes relations with Israel.

The agreement was signed in July under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act. It would create the legal framework for American companies to provide Saudi Arabia with civilian nuclear technology, materials, and expertise. The Department of Energy says the arrangement would support American workers and supply chains while helping the kingdom meet its energy needs.

Congress now has 90 days of continuous session to examine the nuclear terms. Saudi Arabia receives the same period, plus any additional time required, to complete an unrelated diplomatic realignment of the Middle East. Linking the two ensures that no reactor can become operational before every other difficult part of the policy does.

Nonproliferation specialists have also questioned provisions that do not require Saudi Arabia to adopt the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol and that could leave a future path to domestic uranium enrichment. These details give lawmakers a second assignment after determining whether the agreement is operative, conditional, or both.

For now, the United States has a signed energy framework, a congressional review, and a diplomatic condition that remains unmet. The nuclear engineering has reached the paperwork stage. The peace process must now catch up.