Analyzing the Impact of the Abraham Accords on Middle Eastern Stability

In the wake of the Abraham Accords, analysts argue that the agreements have failed to address the core conflicts in the region, particularly the Palestinian issue, while violence continues to escalate.

In a recent evaluation of the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements brokered in 2020 that sought to normalize relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, it appears that the anticipated peace and stability have not materialized. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nomination of former President Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize praised these accords as a monumental shift towards regional harmony. However, the reality in the Middle East tells a different story.

As Netanyahu lauded the accords during a meeting in Washington last week, the region was steeped in turmoil. Ongoing Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip, Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, and a protracted civil war in Sudan serve as grim reminders of the instability pervading the area. Moreover, tensions escalated between Israel and Iran, with both nations engaging in military attacks against one another. Israeli ground forces are also embroiled in conflicts in Lebanon and Syria.

Despite repeated claims from Trump and Netanyahu that the accords signify a "peace deal," many experts argue that they simply formalize diplomatic ties with nations that have historically had little to no conflict with Israel. There has been no military confrontation involving Israel and the UAE or Bahrain, and Morocco’s involvement has been minimal, primarily a historical footnote from decades past.

Consequently, critics assert that the accords sidestepped the critical issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, proclaiming harmony in an environment devoid of the necessary negotiations to resolve underlying tensions. The accords appear to endure as more of a symbolic gesture than a substantive pathway to lasting peace in the Middle East.