When Donald Trump facilitated the signing of the Abraham Accords during his first presidency to normalize relations between Israel and Arab countries, many regional elites hoped that these agreements would be a step toward reducing tensions and creating stability in the Middle East. They believed the accords provided an opportunity to strengthen Arab-Israeli relations and counter common threats. However, in reality, these agreements ignored the central issue of the region—the Israeli occupation and Palestinian rights. None of these accords seriously addressed the Palestinian crisis, the end of Israeli occupation, or the violation of Palestinian rights. Instead, Arab countries pursued agreements with Israel based on their political and security priorities rather than resolving the Palestinian issue. This neglect of Palestinian rights and the disregard for Israeli crimes in the occupied territories not only escalated tensions but also deepened divisions in the region.
Now that Trump is once again seeking to revive these agreements, past experience shows that this vicious cycle will never lead to lasting peace. Instead, these accords will only exacerbate crises and tensions in the Middle East without offering a real solution to the Palestinian issue.
For the Arab countries that joined the Abraham Accords, normalization with Israel was seen more as a political deal than a genuine effort toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians. These countries primarily sought to secure their economic and security interests, showing little concern for resolving the Palestinian crisis. Normalizing relations with Israel was framed as a tool to counter regional threats and gain economic and commercial benefits, particularly in technology, cybersecurity, and energy resources. This approach sidelined the Palestinian cause, and no real effort was made to advance Palestinian rights or the peace process. As a result, the accords were perceived as one-sided and heavily in Israel’s favor, legitimizing its occupation rather than fostering genuine peace. This disregard for fundamental regional issues, including Palestinian rights, increased distrust among the Arab and Islamic political elite and public.
Israeli crimes in Gaza and Lebanon, along with their impact on public opinion, have significantly changed the Middle East’s political landscape. After the brutal massacres of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians and the relentless bombings of Gaza, which have led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, the people of the region—especially in Arab and Islamic countries—have taken a firm stance against normalization with Israel. These crimes, combined with growing international political and economic pressure on Israel due to ongoing regional wars and crises, have severely damaged Israel’s image as a new economic and security partner for Arab and even some Western nations.
This time, public dissatisfaction has reached a tipping point, where even Arab governments and Western allies that previously supported the Abraham Accords are beginning to realize that normalization alone cannot reduce tensions. People in the region, having witnessed Israel’s continued atrocities, no longer accept the disregard for Palestinian rights as the price of these agreements. Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel now face intense public pressure to take a stance against Israeli crimes. There is strong opposition to any efforts to normalize ties with a country that continues to violate human rights and occupy Palestinian territories. This opposition has effectively influenced the domestic and foreign policies of Arab and Western nations alike. In such circumstances, ignoring Palestinian rights and continuing normalization efforts will only escalate the crisis and further erode trust in the region. These developments make it clear that no agreement in the Middle East can lead to real peace unless the Palestinian issue is at its core and Palestinian rights are genuinely and seriously recognized.
Trump is now trying to revive the Abraham Accords and continues to exert political and diplomatic pressure to push them forward. He aims to use these agreements as a major foreign policy success. However, the reality is that these efforts remain trapped in a vicious cycle, repeating the same past mistakes without addressing the region’s fundamental issues—especially the Palestinian cause. Therefore, reviving these accords will not only fail to resolve tensions but will also perpetuate the same flawed pattern, ultimately leading to further crises.
In the end, achieving lasting peace in the Middle East depends on respecting Palestinian rights and determining the future of the occupied territories. Without addressing these fundamental issues, the Abraham Accords and similar initiatives will not bring peace but will instead become sources of greater tension and larger crises in the region. Trump and other supporters of these agreements must learn from past mistakes and, rather than reviving fundamentally flawed and unjust accords, seek real and fair solutions for Palestine and the region. Otherwise, these agreements will not pave the way for peace but will ignite new wars, pushing the Middle East closer to further crises.
