Recently, there has been an increase in pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on Islamic countries to join the Abraham Accords. On May 23, Trump held telephone conversations with the leaders of eight Muslim countries, including Saudi Crown Prince, President of UAE, Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asif Munir, President of Egypt, Emirs of Bahrain and Qatar, President of Türkiye, and King of Jordan. He urged them to join the Abraham Accords and those Islamic countries who have not yet recognized Israel to establish diplomatic and trade relations with Israel, sign the Abraham Accords and Iran could be among these countries. The leaders of the Islamic countries were left astonished by the American president’s sudden demand, and silence prevailed for a while. At that moment, Donald Trump had to ask, ‘Are you still on the line. Thereafter the foreign ministries of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia firmly rejected the proposal, stating that a potential U.S.-Iran agreement and the Abraham Accords are two separate matters that should not be linked.
It is worth recalling that during Trump’s first term as president the Abraham Accords were announced to promote cooperation among the world’s three major Abrahamic faiths Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The United States proposed normalization of diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and Muslim countries as a pathway toward a lasting peace between Israeli & Palestinian. On September 15, 2020, UAE and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords with Israel at the White House. Later, Morocco, Sudan, and Kazakhstan also joined the agreement. Trump described this development as one of the most significant diplomatic achievements of his presidency. According to United States, the Abraham Accords are intended to promote peace, stability, and economic cooperation in the Middle East by normalizing diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and Muslim countries. Hence improved relations between Israel and Islamic countries will reduce regional tensions, increase investment, boost trade, and create new opportunities for technological and defense cooperation. However, opponents of the Abraham Accords are of the view that their real purpose is to secure full political acceptance of Israel in the region while pushing the Palestinian issue into the background. While United States presents the Accords as a vehicle for peace and cooperation, opponents view them as an effort to weaken the Palestinian cause and strengthen Israel’s regional standing.
In my opinion, a major reason for America’s interest in the Abraham Accords appears to be the protection of its strategic interests in the Middle East. The United States seeks to establish political and security alliances in the region that serve both its own interests and those of its allies. Israel is a close American ally, and Washington has long worked to increase Israel’s regional acceptance. The Abraham Accords are widely seen as a continuation of this policy. The Accords are not merely a diplomatic agreement; they are also part of a broader geopolitical strategy aimed at shaping the future of the Middle East.
For several years, the United States has made significant efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords. Saudi Arabia holds a highly influential position in the Muslim world, and if it were to recognize Israel, the effects could resonate throughout the broader Islamic community. Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that full diplomatic relations with Israel will not be possible without the establishment of a Palestinian state and the protection of legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Pakistan has adopted a similar stance, stating that it cannot even consider joining such an accord until Saudi Arabia takes the lead and Palestinians are granted their rights, including the right to an independent state. The ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza have also raised questions about future of the Abraham Accords. Israeli military actions have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians and widespread destruction, generating deep anger across the Muslim world. In such an environment, restoring relations with Israel has become a highly sensitive issue for any Islamic country.
The true success of the Abraham Accords will ultimately depend on whether this agreement can ensure legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and contribute to a just and lasting peace in the region. The primary challenge facing the Muslim world is to make decisions based on national interests, the collective position of the Islamic community, and aspirations of the Palestinian people, without succumbing to external pressure. If the fundamental Palestinian issue is ignored and diplomatic and trade relations are prioritized instead, the dream of sustainable peace in the region is unlikely to be realized.
