Israel’s concerns over Saudi-US nuclear deal

Israel has expressed concern over the historic agreement reached with Saudi Arabia on the US's civilian nuclear program. According to the occupying country, it will increase the arms race in the Middle East.

Israeli critics fear that the Saudi-US deal could start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. This could become a threat to Israel's security in the long term.

According to the agreement announced on Wednesday (July 22), Saudi Arabia will use US technology to build nuclear reactors and will have the opportunity to enrich uranium. However, it still needs the approval of the US Congress to take effect.

Washington claims that the agreement is only for civilian and energy production purposes.

So far, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the country's defense and foreign ministers have not commented on the matter. However, opposition leaders have strongly criticized the agreement.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that pushing through such a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, bypassing Israel, was a serious strategic failure. According to him, allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its soil could start a nuclear race in the Middle East and the situation could spiral out of control.

Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman expressed similar concerns.

He said that Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program could eventually pave the way for the creation of nuclear weapons and a new arms race could begin throughout the Middle East.

He claimed that Israel should oppose the deal and make diplomatic efforts to prevent the US Congress from approving it.