Shared peace

In Islam, Prophet Ibrahim is revered as a ‘friend of Allah’, the father of Prophet Ismail (an ancestor of Arabs), and a central figure in Haj rituals and Islamic teachings.

In Christianity, Prophet Abraham is regarded as the forefather of faith, highlighted in the New Testament as an exemplar of righteousness and trust in God.

In Judaism, Prophet Avraham is the First Patriarch, father of Prophet Yitzhak (Isaac) and grandfather of Prophet Ya‘akov (Jacob). In Islam, Prophet Ya‘qub is a respected prophet and patriarch, father of twelve sons who founded the Twelve Tribes of Israel. One of his sons, Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), is also a significant figure in Islam, with an entire Quranic chapter dedicated to his story.

In 1979, the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty was signed, with Egypt recognising Israel’s sovereignty and Israel withdrawing from the Sinai Peninsula, establishing diplomatic and economic relations between the two nations.

In 1993, the Oslo Accords were signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PLO recognised Israel’s right to exist in peace and security, while Israel acknowledged the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. In 1994, the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty was signed, establishing full diplomatic relations and resolving border disputes between the two countries.

On September 15, 2020, the Abraham Accords, brokered by the Trump administration, were signed, formalising diplomatic, economic, and security ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and between Israel and Bahrain.

In October 2020, Sudan normalised relations with Israel (facilitated by US incentives including removal from the state sponsors of terrorism list). In December 2020, Morocco also normalised relations with Israel (with the US recognising Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara).

The Abraham Accords facilitated five key areas of cooperation between the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and Israel: direct flights, technology partnerships, investment opportunities, tourism and defence collaboration.

Bilateral trade between the UAE and Israel -- excluding software and government-to-government deals -- has surpassed $3 billion and is expected to reach $10 billion within five years. The two countries now collaborate on defence, with the UAE acquiring Israeli cybersecurity systems. Bahrain is integrating Israeli defence technology into its national security framework, while Morocco is exploring the use of Israeli drones for border security.

The UAE and Bahrain gained US approval for advanced arms deals, including F-35 jets for the UAE. Direct flights between Israel and the UAE have brought over 250,000 Israeli tourists to Dubai. Morocco hosted more than 200,000 Israeli tourists last year.

Israel and the UAE are partnering on AI and water desalination projects. Morocco is benefiting from Israeli drip irrigation expertise to enhance agricultural productivity in arid regions. Sudan is exploring Israeli agricultural tech to address food security.

The fact on the ground is that the Abraham Accords, building on the legacy of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, the Oslo Accords and the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty, have reshaped Middle Eastern diplomacy by fostering unprecedented cooperation between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

The other fact on the ground is that with billions in trade, technological partnerships and growing tourism, the Abraham Accords are proving to be a step toward regional stability and prosperity.