Lapid says 'Israel' should not agree to KSA having nuclear program
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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticizes the stipulation about Saudi Arabia getting enriched uranium if it normalizes ties with the Israeli occupation.
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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, center, confers with colleagues during a vote on picking two lawmakers to serve on a judge selection panel, in the Knesset, Occupied al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, on June 14, 2023 (AP)
While Israeli opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid is in favor of the Israeli occupation normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia, the former premier underlined that he is opposed to Riyadh acquiring its own nuclear program.
"I am in favor of the normalization deal with the Saudis, but I would not have approved the issue of uranium enrichment," he told Israeli TV.
"This will make Saudi into a nuclear state, which will change the entire face of the region," he said, noting that the UAE would soon want to join in.
"The negotiations are truly difficult, but instead of this aimless jargon, we could strike a deal with Riyadh that does not include uranium enrichment," the former Israeli premier said. "We are not allowed to agree to this condition."
Lapid previously strongly criticized the idea of permitting Saudi Arabia to engage in uranium enrichment within its borders, citing potential security threats to the occupation state.
Saudi Arabia has been seeking US assistance to develop a civilian nuclear program as part of ongoing talks brokered by the US aimed at normalizing relations between Riyadh and "Israel." This intricate arrangement could reshape Middle East geopolitics.
Lapid, the leader of "Israel's" largest opposition group, Yesh Atid, expressed his approval of the prospect of full relations between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia. However, he cautioned against the possibility of sparking "a nuclear arms race throughout the Middle East" in pursuit of such a deal, emphasizing that "Israel" should not agree to any uranium enrichment activities in Saudi Arabia.
In response to reports that US and Israeli officials were discussing a US-managed uranium enrichment program in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that if Iran were to "acquire a nuclear weapon," Saudi Arabia would feel compelled to follow suit.
A contentious issue
The negotiations for a potential normalization deal involve the US providing Riyadh with security assurances and support for a civilian nuclear program. In return, Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with "Israel" and seek concessions from it regarding the Palestinian issue.
The matter of allowing Saudi Arabia to develop a civil nuclear program has been one of the most contentious aspects of these talks. Concerns have arisen over the potential for uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia, as it could eventually facilitate nuclear weapon production. The US has been more inclined toward Saudi Arabia procuring nuclear fuel from the international market rather than enabling on-site uranium enrichment.
However, US officials have recently shown openness to Saudi Arabia's requests for civil nuclear cooperation and discussed ways to address Israeli concerns regarding Saudi uranium enrichment.
While some members of the Israeli security establishment have reservations about endorsing a US-backed Saudi nuclear program, others argue that Saudi Arabia has alternative options if the US rejects its demands.
This comes after a recent statement by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who admitted that Saudi Arabia was getting closer to normalizing ties with the Israeli occupation in an interview with Fox News released on Wednesday.
"Every day we get closer," Bin Salman said when asked to describe the discussions focused on normalizing diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and "Israel".
Responding to a question on the requirements of a normalization deal, the de facto Saudi leader claimed that "the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part." Adding that there had been "good negotiations" so far.
He continued, "We got to see where we go. We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, get Israel as a player in the Middle East."
