Israel-Palestine Conflict: Abraham’s Accords Are a Naive Approach -Diplomacy Can Still Save the Region

I put down my views related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. I have closely followed the conflict during the last 20 years. These views are mainly based on my discussions with primary sources representing all stakeholders involved in the conflict.

The Abraham Accords are, in my view, a somewhat naive approach that underestimates the risks involved . I believe that this agreement is not in the best interest of Arab countries, Palestinians, or Israel. The Accords may inadvertently provide recruitment opportunities for Iran within the signatory Arab countries and neighboring nations. The United States might need to significantly increase its military presence and resources in the region to safeguard Israel and the involved Arab nations while countering Iran’s influence. I see serious security threats associated with the Accords, particularly for countries like Bahrain (with a 55% Shi’a population), the UAE (proximity to Iran), and Morocco (in light of the Polisario front and Western Sahara Issue). The normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel could be seen as Iran’s biggest prize similar to the Invasion of Iraq of 2003. While Saudi Arabia is modernising, it was, until recently, a major source of recruitment for groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS. Additionally, the presence of a substantial Shi’a population in Saudi Arabia and the neighbouring Houthi military’s loyalty to Iran pose challenges. Iran could exploit this situation to establish a strong foothold in the holly land via a hybrid Militia. From Israel’s perspective, the Abraham Accords delay addressing the core issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (the occupation of Palestine) while inadvertently allowing its main security threat, Iran and its proxies, to expand. The Accords are primarily championed by the extreme right in Israeli politics, which embraces a zero-sum approach to the conflict and empowers like-minded counterparts. As for the Palestinians, the Accords undermine the Palestinian Authority and bolsters military resistance factions, while limiting the leverage of involved Arab countries in their dealings with the Palestinians.