New Country to Join Abraham Accords, US Envoy Announces
The United States is preparing to announce on November 6 that a new country will join the Abraham Accords, a framework under which several nations have normalized relations with Israel, according to President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Announcement Details
"I'm flying back to Washington tonight because we're going to announce, tonight, another country coming into the Abraham Accords," Witkoff said at the America Business Forum in Miami.
When asked which country would join, Witkoff responded,
"I don't know if it's out yet."
Country Joining the Accords
The Axios news outlet reported that the new member is Kazakhstan, a Central Asian republic that has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel for decades. Kazakhstan is reportedly joining to help "reinvigorate" the Abraham Accords. Kazakhstan's president was scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House in early November alongside other Central Asian leaders.
Background on the Abraham Accords
- During Trump's first term, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco normalized ties with Israel in 2020.
- Saudi Arabia had been in discussions with the US about joining the Accords, which would mark a historic step given its significance as the home of Islam's two holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia's Position
Following the outbreak of war in Gaza after Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, Saudi Arabia paused its normalization efforts.
Saudi Arabia maintains it cannot normalize ties without progress toward an independent Palestinian state, a goal opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Author's summary: A new country, likely Kazakhstan, is poised to join the Abraham Accords, aiming to revive diplomatic progress established by previous signatories despite ongoing regional tensions.