What Are The Abraham Accords?

The Abraham Accords are a series of peace agreements between Israel and several Arab countries, the UAE being the first. The United States helped broker the historic joint statement after months of negotiation, and the leaders of both Middle Eastern nations formally signed the agreement on August 13, 2020.

As the first normalization of relations between Israel and an Arabic country since 1994 (when Israel made an agreement with Jordan), the Abraham Accords is a pivotal moment in Israeli political history. Although there’s still much to be done, it’s an essential step towards peace between Israel and the Arab world.

Shortly afterward, on September 15, 2020, Bahrain joined the Abraham Accords by signing a similar agreement on the White House lawn in Washington D.C.

The name “Abraham” refers to the great father of the faith of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It’s a symbolic title that promotes unity between Arabic and Jewish people by recognizing the shared patriarch.

The Abraham Accords Declaration
‍

We, the undersigned, recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and around the world based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity and freedom, including religious freedom.

We encourage efforts to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue to advance a culture of peace among the three Abrahamic religions and all humanity.

We believe that the best way to address challenges is through cooperation and dialogue and that developing friendly relations among States advances the interests of lasting peace in the Middle East and around the world.

We seek tolerance and respect for every person in order to make this world a place where all can enjoy a life of dignity and hope, no matter their race, faith, or ethnicity.

We support science, art, medicine, and commerce to inspire humankind, maximize human potential and bring nations closer together.

We seek to end radicalization and conflict to provide all children a better future.

We pursue a vision of peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and around the world.

In this spirit, we warmly welcome and are encouraged by the progress already made in establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and its neighbors in the region under the principles of the Abraham Accords. We are encouraged by the ongoing efforts to consolidate and expand such friendly relations based on shared interests and a shared commitment to a better future.

‍