Republican Lawmaker Breaks Ranks With Trump Over U.S.-Saudi Arabia Nuclear Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed support for the idea, saying “Saudi Arabia’s joining of the Abraham Accords would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East.”

Trump’s demand for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel placed further doubt on the deal for some, including Sen. Kennedy.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen, anyway, because the President’s conditioned it on Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel, and they’re not, they’re not going to do that,” he said.

Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the add-on condition to the deal, but Riyadh officials have long maintained they would not recognize Israel without a clear pathway toward a Palestinian state.

The post-signing condition has also prompted a response from Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who called it a “complete whiplash.”

“The Saudis have been very clear that they will normalize relations with Israel when we’re on a clear path toward developing a Palestinian state, living side-by-side—security for both Palestinians and Israelis,” Van Hollen told This Week. “That has been the Saudi position. And so, what the Trump Administration did was a bait-and-switch scheme.”