Abraham Accords Under Duress: Israeli Action Puts New Arab Partnerships to the Test

The landmark Abraham Accords, which heralded a new era of Arab-Israeli cooperation, are under severe duress following Israel’s military strike in Qatar. The action has put new partnerships, particularly with the UAE, to the test, forcing a difficult choice between a new ally and long-standing regional allegiances.
The UAE, the most prominent Arab signatory to the accords, has responded with a sharp diplomatic rebuke of Israel. By summoning its envoy and condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “hostile” rhetoric, Abu Dhabi has made it clear that normalization does not equate to a free pass for military actions that threaten Gulf security.
This places the future of the accords in a precarious position. The foundation of the agreement was a shared vision of regional stability and economic partnership. An Israeli strike on a neighboring Arab state, however, directly contradicts that vision and revives old concerns about Israeli aggression, undermining the trust the accords were meant to build.
As Arab and Islamic leaders rally behind Qatar at a summit in Doha, the pressure on the UAE and other normalization states is immense. The incident serves as a stark reminder that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a central issue, and that true regional integration for Israel cannot be achieved while such destabilizing military actions continue.