DID Press: Saudi Arabia is facing growing doubts over joining the Abraham Accords, as the wars in Gaza and the recent conflict involving Iran have reshaped regional political and public sentiment, according to a new analysis by The Washington Post.
The newspaper reported that six years after the signing of the Abraham Accords, the wars in Gaza and the broader regional conflict have fueled public discontent in the United Arab Emirates and prompted criticism of the normalization agreement from some Emirati officials, casting uncertainty over its future expansion.
According to the report, U.S. President Donald Trump continues to encourage Saudi Arabia to join the accords, but analysts told The Washington Post that the UAE’s experience suggests such a move will be far more difficult than initially anticipated. They said Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran have weakened early regional support for normalization and made several Arab states more hesitant to pursue similar agreements.
The report also said the recent conflict with Iran strengthened security cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Israel. Officials and analysts cited by the newspaper said Israel provided the UAE with defensive systems and intelligence during the early stages of the conflict to help counter Iranian missile and drone attacks, a factor some Emirati officials view as reinforcing the value of the Abraham Accords.
The Washington Post further noted a shift in the UAE’s domestic climate. Public activities of the country’s Jewish community, which had expanded following the signing of the accords, have become more limited since the Gaza war and the subsequent conflict involving Iran and Israel. The Abrahamic Family House synagogue has reportedly remained closed since February 28, with many members of the Jewish community holding religious gatherings privately.
The newspaper concluded that while security cooperation between the UAE and Israel remains intact, the prospects of additional countries—particularly Saudi Arabia—joining the Abraham Accords now appear significantly more challenging than in previous years.