Saudis must recognise Israel for nuclear deal, says Trump

The deal between the US and Saudi Arabia to help the Gulf kingdom develop nuclear energy is dependent on Riyadh recognising the State of Israel, President Donald Trump has said. It was not immediately clear if the condition of joining the accords was stipulated in the text of the nuclear deal - which has not been released - or that Saudi Arabia had agreed to that condition. Saudi Arabia has not responded to Trump's remarks so far. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that Trump had discussed the condition to Saudi leaders on numerous previous occasions. "He has said if they don't join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off," she said. Rosemary Kelanic, the director of the Middle East programme at the US-based Defense Priorities think tank, said it would be "quite shocking" if the US were to allow Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment facilities. "The US has never done that before. We have never helped another country enrich on their own soil," she said.