Geopolitical Ramifications of the Abraham Accords

INTRODUCTION

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain’s normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel during August/September 2020 marked a milestone in Gulf Arab-Israeli relations. From Washington’s perspective, the Abraham Accords and the subsequent Sudan-Israel diplomatic agreement constitute major diplomatic breakthroughs and US foreign policy achievements. While on the campaign trail, President Donald Trump frequently emphasizeds his administration’s brokerage of accords between two Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, Khartoum, and Tel Aviv, hailing the three deals as indicators of his success on the international stage.

Keywords: Geopolitics, Abraham Accords, Normalization, Israel, Gulf

CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION
  • 1- Background of Arab-Israeli Normalization and the Role of the USA
    • a- Early Contacts Between the Jewish State and Gulf Arab Monarchies
    • b- Gulf Arab-Israeli Engagement: 2015-2020
    • c- The Point of Normalization
  • 2- Impact of Abraham Accords on Saudi-UAE Relations
  • 3- Iran and Russia React to Normalized Gulf Arab-Israeli Relations
    • a- Iran
    • b- Russia
  • 4- Turkey at A Crossroads: Mismatch of Self-Conceptions and Others’ Expectations
    • a- The Ebb and Flow of Turkey’s Relations with Israel and the Gulf
    • b- Arab Spring as a Monumental Twist
    • c- Turkey’s Response to Gulf-Israel Normalization
    • d- Quo Vadis Turkish-Israeli and Turkish-Gulf Relations?
• CONCLUSION