OPINION: The Abraham Accords
Dr. James E. Sulton Jr.
JA International Correspondent
The Abraham Accords are a set of U.S.-brokered agreements begun in 2020 to normalize diplomatic, economic, and security relations between Israel and a group of Arab and other Muslim majority states, notably the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Morocco, with additional states later associating in different ways. As of mid 2026, the core normalization agreements remain intact despite the Gaza war, the American/Israeli war against Iran and wider regional instability. Yet, efforts to expand the Abraham Accords – especially to include Saudi Arabia in them – have slowed and become more conditional on making progress on the Palestinian issue.
The term Abraham Accords refers both to a general declaration and to a series of bilateral agreements signed on the White House lawn in the second half of 2020 between Israel and individual Arab states. The initial agreements began full diplomatic relations between countries, opened embassies, and laid out frameworks for cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, aviation, technology, and security.
The general Abraham Accords Declaration emphasized principles of mutual recognition, religious tolerance among Abrahamic faiths, and a shared vision of peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East. It framed normalization not merely as an end to formal non recognition but as “warm peace”, with explicit commitments to foster interfaith dialogue and ties among people with different nationalities.
The core signatories to the agreements in 2020 were Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain, followed shortly thereafter by Morocco joining the diplomatic framework. Sudan signed the general declaration and agreed in principle to normalize relations with Israel, but political instability and conflict inside Sudan have delayed the conclusion and implementation of a full bilateral diplomatic treaty.
By 2025, Kazakhstan announced its intention to join the accords, although Israel and Kazakhstan already had longstanding diplomatic relations and existing bilateral agreements. So, its inclusion would be more symbolic in terms of aligning with the Abraham Accords framework. Other states, especially Saudi Arabia, and more recently Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad, have been in varying levels of discussion about joining but have not yet finalized agreements.
The Abraham Accords marked the first formal normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states since Israel’s 1994 peace treaty with Jordan and its earlier 1979 treaty with Egypt. They departed from the long standing Arab League position that broad normalization should follow, not precede, the establishment of a Palestinian state, effectively decoupling Arab-Israeli diplomacy from the core Israeli Palestinian conflict.
Supporters of the agreements argue the accords opened a new chapter in regional politics by institutionalizing what had often been quiet, informal security and intelligence cooperation between Israel and Gulf and North African states, particularly around shared concerns such as Iran. Critics counter the accords completely bypassed Palestinian aspirations, did not halt Israeli settlement expansion, and risked entrenching an unequal status quo even as they deepened Israel’s economic and security integration with surrounding Arab states.
Economically, the accords rapidly produced direct flights between countries, new trade routes, and cross border investment, especially between Israel and the UAE, with bilateral trade rising into billions of dollars within a few years. Tourism flows expanded, symbolized significantly by large numbers of Israeli visitors and businesses in Dubai and growing Emirati and Bahraini presence in Israel, while cooperation deals proliferated in technology, energy, finance, and health.
Security wise, the accords facilitated more overt coordination on airspace management, intelligence sharing, and defense technology, embedding Israel more formally into emergent regional security architectures that include Arab partners and the United States. Organizations like the Abraham Accords Peace Institute describe the accords as a foundation for long term regional integration and estimate that, if fully developed, they could generate millions of jobs and up to a trillion dollars in new economic activity over the coming decade.
The Israel–Hamas war that began in October 2023, and then ongoing genocidal conflict in Gaza, significantly strained public opinion in Arab countries that normalized ties with Israel and chilled the public, symbolic side of the accords. Joyful celebrations, high profile visits, and visible people to people diplomacy have become more muted, with much interaction shifting behind closed doors to avoid popular backlash.
Despite this, analyses by some regional think tanks and policy institutes note that none of the signatory governments have withdrawn from the accords, closed embassies, or formally suspended relations; trade, security, and airspace cooperation have continued, albeit with greater political sensitivity. This durability under stress has led some observers to describe the accords as resilient but politically constrained, surviving as state to state frameworks even as they face strong societal criticism.
As of 2025–2026, core implementation – diplomatic relations, economic agreements, and security coordination – remains in place among the original signatories. However, early expectations of rapid expansion to additional states have not been realized. Saudi Arabia especially has conditioned further progress toward normalization on credible steps toward a viable Palestinian state, a demand reinforced by reactions to the Gaza genocide.
Discussions about expanding or deepening the Abraham Accords continue, including with countries like Sudan (if its own internal wars subside), Kazakhstan (already committed to joining), and a post Assad Syria that has tentatively explored alignment with the framework. The overall trajectory is therefore mixed: the accords endure and function, but their political legitimacy and future growth are tied closely to how the broader Israeli Palestinian conflict and regional order evolve.
