10 | OCTOBER 13 • 2022
W
ith the two-year
anniversary last
month, the historic
signing of the Abraham
Accords ushered in a new
era in the Middle East. The
normalization agreements
established first between Israel
and the United Arab Emirates
and Bahrain, then later a
renewal in ties with Morocco,
have led to new opportunities
in the Middle East. People-
to-people exchanges, business
partnerships and government
agreements have all led to
investment and growth.
Among the notable
agreements stemming from the
Accords signed to date:
Landmark Defense
Memorandum of Under-
standing between Israel and
Morocco in November 2021,
the first ever between Israel
and an Arab state.
In February 2022, Israel
and Bahrain inked a security
agreement.
Israel and the United Arab
Emirates signed a historic free-
trade agreement in May 2022,
which both sides hope will
expand to $10 billion in trade
annually in the next five years.
Given this success, what is
next for the Abraham Accords?
Could other countries in the
region, such as Saudi Arabia,
be next? Can the Abraham
Accords be a model of success
globally?
At AJC Global Forum 2022,
Israeli Ambassador to the
U.N. Gilad Erdan, Bahraini
Ambassador to the U.N. Jamal
Fares Alrowaiei, Moroccan
Ambassador to the U.N.
Omar Hilale, and United
Arab Emirates Ambassador
to the U.N. Lana Nusseibeh
discussed the benefits of the
Abraham Accords and what
they envision will be needed
to expand the breakthrough
agreements.
U.S. LEADERSHIP IS KEY
The signing of the normal-
ization agreements with the
UAE and Bahrain in September
2020 on a picture-perfect day
on the White House lawn was
touted as a major foreign policy
success for the United States.
Speaking of the U.S. role
in facilitating the agreement,
Israeli Ambassador Erdan said
“the fact that we had a very
committed administration that
conveyed a clear message” in
support of the Jewish State and
the dynamics in the Middle
East was important.
According to Bahraini
Ambassador Alrowaiei, the U.S.
role is necessary going forward.
“The U.S. as a strategic
partner is at the forefront,
”
he said. “The U.S. has an
important role in the efforts …
as we work collectively on the
historic Abraham Accords.
”
For Morocco, which signed
its agreement to normalize
relations with Israel in
December 2020, it was a
renewal and upgrading of
previous ties, which had been
established during the 1990s.
Moroccan Ambassador
Hilale said that “we need a
more proactive role of the
United States” in helping to
secure future cooperation in
the region.
Since taking office, the Biden
administration has continued
to support and work to expand
the benefits of the Abraham
Accords, established joint
teams with partner countries
and identified potential new
countries, Erdan said.
In March, foreign ministers
of the Abraham Accords
countries and Egypt, along
with the U.S. Secretary of State,
held the Negev Summit in
Israel to further expand ties.
They initiated a process that
will lead to regular multilateral
regional consultations and
working groups.
UAE Ambassador Nusseibeh
lauded Secretary of State
Antony Blinken’s participation
in the Negev Summit and
welcomed further U.S. action.
“The primary view is
continued U.S. engagement,
”
she said. “The U.S. is the
preferred partner for this
region. It is a long-standing
partner.
”
SAUDI ARABIA’S
‘DOMINO EFFECT’
Earlier this year, in an
interview with The Atlantic,
Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman offered a striking
reassessment of relations
between Saudi Arabia and
Israel, saying, “We do not view
Israel as an enemy, but rather
as a potential ally.
”
Indeed, reports of
clandestine contact between
Israel and the Saudis have
surfaced in recent years as
both countries face a common
security threat from Iran
as well as an interest in the
stability of the Middle East
region.
UNITED HATZALAH
analysis
What Are the Next Steps
to Expand the Abraham Accords?
PURELY COMMENTARY
AJC GLOBAL VOICE
At the AJC Global
Forum 2022