Why Trump's Abraham Accords push is a non-starter
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
US President Donald Trump demanded several Muslim countries join the Abraham Accords recognising Israel as part of a deal with Iran, but the plan appears doomed to failure, experts said. Trump’s surprise demand on Monday came at the height of the latest negotiations with Tehran and hours before an American strike on southern Iran piled pressure on a fragile ceasefire. Trump, apparently eyeing a grand bargain to calm the turbulent Middle East, named five countries that already have relations with Israel along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan — which are considered highly unlikely to take such a step. It was unclear whether Trump really believes the countries will join. Analysts said he may be trying to demonstrate support for Israel or seeking a political win to justify an unpopular war. What are the Abraham Accords? Washington brokered the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first term, seeking to build bridges between Israel and the Arab world. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco were signatories, establishing diplomatic, economic and security ties. A fourth country, Sudan, is yet to formalise relations. The present Trump administration has pushed hard to expand the grouping. Non-Arab Kazakhstan — which already recognised Israel — agreed to join last November. What did Trump say? After a conference call with leaders and senior officials from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that all eight countries should join the Accords. “It will be a Document respected like no other that has ever been signed, anywhere in the World,” he wrote, calling for the “immediate signing” of Saudi Arabia and Qatar “and everybody else should follow suit”. Why is it unrealistic? Arab sentiment towards Israel’s government hardened during the Gaza war, when Israel’s military campaign in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks left more than 70,000 Palestinians dead. “For most of the states named,