The Abraham Accords: The Gulf States, Israel, and the Limits of Normalization

by Elham Fakhro

In August 2020, Donald Trump announced that his administration had brokered a groundbreaking treaty between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, the first normalization agreement between Israel and an Arab state in more than twenty years. Soon afterward, Bahrain joined the agreements, known as the Abraham Accords. How were these treaties achieved, and why did the parties involved see normalization as in their interest? In what ways have the accords altered the Middle East’s political landscape, and how have they affected the question of Palestine?

This book is a groundbreaking in-depth analysis of the Abraham Accords, shedding new light on their causes and consequences. Elham Fakhro demonstrates how shared security concerns, economic interests, and regional political shockwaves led to a surprising strategic convergence between the Gulf states and Israel, setting the stage for covert relations to come out into the open. She examines the role of the Trump administration in negotiating the agreements and shows how the UAE and Bahrain have instrumentalized the accords to burnish their reputations in Western capitals. Fakhro underscores how Washington’s Middle East policy shifted toward expanding the agreements at the expense of attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—with profound costs. Offering a critical lens on a much-hailed agreement, this book argues that the pursuit of normalization in isolation from a lasting solution to the conflict has entrenched the conditions that continually plunge the Middle East into crisis.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2024

Reviews

[Irina R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Brilliant and eye-opening debut!. Kudos to the author for producing such a fine and well-researched work!. Full review coming up!**

[Tariq · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book stands as the essential text for anyone seeking to understand how and why the historic Abraham Accords came to be. What sets this book apart is how it balances scholarly rigor with compelling narrative, making complex diplomatic developments accessible without sacrificing depth. This will undoubtedly become the cornerstone reference on the Accords - absolutely key reading for anyone in diplomacy, international relations, or Middle Eastern studies.

[Ziad Daoud · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Rather than costing Israel any of the territory it had captured from the Arabs, the normalization agreements gave credence to Netanyahu's claims that Israel did not have to choose between peace with its neighbours and the return of land to the Palestinians."

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down the essential book on the topic.