Concept

Abraham Accords

US-brokered normalisation agreements signed in 2020 establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states including the UAE and Bahrain.

Last refreshed: 29 March 2026

Key Question

Can Gulf states sustain Israeli ties under Iranian fire?

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Common Questions

What are the Abraham Accords?: US-brokered normalisation agreements signed in September 2020 establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, beginning with the UAE and Bahrain.Source: entity
Which countries signed the Abraham Accords?: Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. The UAE and Bahrain signed first in September 2020.Source: entity
How has Iran responded to the Abraham Accords?: Iran condemned the Accords and, during the 2026 conflict, struck Bahrain and UAE infrastructure, framing signatory states as legitimate military targets.Source: entity
Are the Abraham Accords still in effect?: Formally yes, though sustained Iranian strikes on Bahrain and UAE have placed them under severe political and military stress in 2026.Source: entity
What did the Abraham Accords mean for Palestine?: The Palestinian Authority rejected them as a betrayal, arguing that Arab states normalised with Israel without securing any concessions on Palestinian statehood.Source: entity

Background

The Accords were originally brokered by Donald Trump in September 2020, normalising relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. They bypassed the Palestinian question deliberately, offering Arab states economic and security benefits in exchange for recognition, and were condemned by Iran as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. Sudan and Morocco followed in late 2020.

The Abraham Accords are under acute stress as Iran pursues a deliberate strategy of punishing signatory states. Bahrain absorbed direct missile strikes on the Israeli embassy compound and on civilian infrastructure , while the United Arab Emirates intercepted a sustained barrage, logging 1,900 intercepts over seventeen days .

The Accords now function as a fault line rather than a foundation.Benjamin Netanyahu's government has pressed signatories to hold the line , yet Iran's targeting of Gulf infrastructure tests whether Arab governments can sustain normalisation under sustained military pressure from a regional adversary.

Source Material

The Abraham Accords: Full Text and Joint Statements Abraham Accords Declaration

How the World Sees Them

Iran

The Accords are a US-Israeli construct designed to isolate Tehran and fragment Arab solidarity against Israeli occupation. Striking signatory states is a calculated message that normalisation carries a direct security cost Iran intends to impose.

Israel

The Accords represent a strategic breakthrough, demonstrating that Arab states will engage with Israel regardless of Palestinian statehood. Iranian pressure on signatories has, paradoxically, deepened security cooperation between Tel Aviv and Gulf capitals.

Bahrain

As the smallest and most exposed signatory, Bahrain faces the gravest consequences of Iranian retaliation. Direct strikes on embassy and hotel infrastructure signal that Tehran views Manama as a legitimate military target.

United Arab Emirates

Normalisation delivered tangible economic and defence benefits, including access to advanced US military technology and intelligence sharing. Sustaining it under sustained Iranian attack tests sovereign will, not merely bilateral diplomacy.

Palestinian Authority

The Accords sacrificed Palestinian statehood for Gulf commercial interests and US strategic convenience. Their resilience or collapse under Iranian pressure has little bearing on the fundamental injustice of normalisation without a Palestinian state.