What is the Abraham Accords?
The Abraham Accords which normalised diplomatic ties between Israel and certain Arab states are in the spotlight following Israel's airstrikes against Hamas that took place on 9 September, angering the U.S. ally who hosted ceasefire negotiations.
The leaders of Arab and Islamic countries will meet in Qatar for a summit on Monday, to show their solidarity.
The Abraham Accords: Facts and figures
Who signed them and what did they achieve?
The Abraham Accords is a collection of agreements that normalise the relationship with Israel. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain broke a taboo by signing during President Donald Trump’s first term. They became the first Arab countries to recognize Israel in 25 years. Morocco and Sudan soon followed.
Jared Kushner - the son-in law of Trump - helped broker the agreements.
Officials from the Palestinian Authority said that they felt betrayed because their Arab brothers had made deals with Israel before demanding any progress towards the creation of a Palestinian State.
Israel's biggest win was its agreement with the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is a major oil producer, commercial hub and diplomatic powerhouse in the Middle East.
Since then, Israel and the UAE enjoy close economic and safety ties. This includes defence cooperation and an agreement on free trade. Recent tensions have strained the relationship.
The United Arab Emirates warned Israel that the annexation of the West Bank occupied would be a "red line" that would seriously undermine the spirit and intent of the accords. This was after an Israeli far-right minister had vowed that settlement building would bury the concept of a Palestinian State.
What is the future of agreements?
Washington has long hoped that the momentum in trade, commerce, and investment will lead to the accords' extension to other Arab countries, especially regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh insists that there cannot be normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia without a path towards the creation of a Palestinian State, something the most extreme right-wing government in Israel’s history has rejected.
Since Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel in October of 2023, triggering a war that saw Israel kill tens and thousands of Palestinians, Arab countries have become more distant from Israel, while public opinion has grown more enraged.
Washington, both under former President Joe Biden, and since Trump's return to office in this year, has promoted broader Arab recognition of Israel, as an eventual key goal, for any future regional settlement that ends the war.
Trump stated last month that he thought it was crucial that more Middle Eastern nations join the Abraham Accords. He said that this would bring peace to the region.
Five sources familiar with the situation say that Trump's administration has been discussing with Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim nation, the possibility of including it in the accords along with other Central Asian allies to strengthen their ties to Israel. (Writing and Editing by Peter Graff.)
(source: Reuters)
