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Right, so Saudi Arabia just walked away with the nuclear deal Israel assumed Trump was keeping in his oversized pockets until Riyadh decided to behave. Here's the short version: thirty years of American companies pushing reactors, tech, and nuclear parts to Saudi Arabia. No, Mohammed Bin Salman isn't getting a bomb in the mail or a shiny enrichment plant tomorrow morning, but the door is politely left open for future uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing once the paperwork fairy waves her wand. The deal is signed and sent to Congress for its usual rubber-stamping. Saudi Arabia gets the shiny framework now. Israel's much-hyped normalisation deal? Still missing, probably imaginary. That was the leverage. That was the glittering prize. Saudi Arabia wanted American nuclear toys, Israel wanted a Saudi handshake, and Washington was supposed to act like the strict parent making sure no one ate dessert before dinner. Trump has now tossed Riyadh their treat, no strings attached, not even a please or thank you. Israel's bit? That normalisation? Still waiting for delivery. Maybe check the lost property bin next to Trump's old promises. So Netanyahu gets a three-for-one headache here. Saudi Arabia now has a golden ticket to the same nuclear antics Trump swears are world-ending when Iran tries them. Israel’s big Saudi normalisation fantasy is still just that, a fantasy. A
By Damien WilleyRight, so Saudi Arabia just walked away with the nuclear deal Israel assumed Trump was keeping in his oversized pockets until Riyadh decided to behave. Here's the short version: thirty years of American companies pushing reactors, tech, and nuclear parts to Saudi Arabia. No, Mohammed Bin Salman isn't getting a bomb in the mail or a shiny enrichment plant tomorrow morning, but the door is politely left open for future uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing once the paperwork fairy waves her wand. The deal is signed and sent to Congress for its usual rubber-stamping. Saudi Arabia gets the shiny framework now. Israel's much-hyped normalisation deal? Still missing, probably imaginary. That was the leverage. That was the glittering prize. Saudi Arabia wanted American nuclear toys, Israel wanted a Saudi handshake, and Washington was supposed to act like the strict parent making sure no one ate dessert before dinner. Trump has now tossed Riyadh their treat, no strings attached, not even a please or thank you. Israel's bit? That normalisation? Still waiting for delivery. Maybe check the lost property bin next to Trump's old promises. So Netanyahu gets a three-for-one headache here. Saudi Arabia now has a golden ticket to the same nuclear antics Trump swears are world-ending when Iran tries them. Israel’s big Saudi normalisation fantasy is still just that, a fantasy. A