Who else could sign on to Trump’s Abraham Accords?

President Donald Trump aims to promote further peace agreements between Israel and Middle Eastern countries through the Abraham Accords, he told Congress on Tuesday.

In his speech, Trump said the Abraham Accords during his first term were the “most groundbreaking peace agreements in generations”.

“And now we’re going to build on that foundation to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for the entire region,” he added.

At a Cairo summit before Trump’s speech, Arab leaders expressed support for peace with Israel but emphasized that any lasting agreement must address Palestinian rights and sovereignty.

Why It Matters

The U.S. sees Middle East stability as crucial to global security. The Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and Arab nations, could help reduce tensions, promote cooperation, and strengthen American allies in the region.

Another major U.S. goal is to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for militant groups. The accords would create a unified front to counter the Islamic Republic’s influence in the region. The agreements also align with Trump’s commitment to Israel’s security.

What To Know

In 2020, the Abraham Accords saw Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Sudan joined in 2021.

However, most other Arab countries still demand an independent Palestinian state based on the borders before the 1967 Middle East War, with East Jerusalem as its capital, before considering normalization.

Progress on advancing the Abraham Accords took a blow with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages. Israel’s subsequent war against Hamas has resulted in over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities.

However, the Arab countries that signed up to the Abraham Accords have not withdrawn despite the bloodshed.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, voiced hope that Lebanon and Syria could eventually join the Abraham Accords at an American Jewish Committee event on February 26, 2025.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Bahrain and Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan,…

Oliver Contreras/Sipa via AP Images

Potential Candidates

Saudi Arabia: Despite being the strongest potential candidate, it halted a breakthrough on the deal in 2024 following the war in Gaza. Getting it on board would be a huge victory for Trump, but it has repeatedly said it would depend on a path to sovereignty for the Palestinians.

Lebanon: Israel has also waged war in Lebanon against Iranian-backed Shi’ite group Hezbollah. Israeli forces remain in parts of southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire. While some groups in religiously-divided Lebanon might favor a deal with Israel, others would be bitterly opposed — making it a potential source of further instability.

Syria: Syria says that peace can only be achieved through the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War along with Gaza and the West Bank. Israel’s statement that it will not withdraw forces which advanced into Syria recently amid instability have heightened tensions.

Qatar: The country hosts a significant number of U.S. military bases but strongly supports Palestinian factions. It has consistently opposed normalization with Israel but plays a mediating role between Israel and Hamas.

Oman: Netanyahu made a rare visit to Oman in 2018. The country has a pragmatic foreign policy but supports the Arab stance regarding Palestinian rights.

Kuwait: Kuwait doesn’t have diplomatic ties with Israel and has historically opposed normalization and could be the last country to do so, according to Kuwaiti media.

What People Are Saying

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun: “There can be no peace without liberating the last inch of our land that is internationally recognized and documented, verified and delineated by the U.N. There can be no peace without the state of Palestine.”

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, UAE professor of political science, non-resident senior fellow at Harvard University, told Newsweek: “The U.S. remains the only superpower with the cards and allies to make a strong comeback, led by a decisive president. Many countries are open to peace agreements with Israel, but conditions must be met. Israel, however, is the obstacle due to Netanyahu’s extremist right-wing policies. No one wants to normalize relations under such circumstances. President Trump must address this, particularly concerning the two-state solution.”

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi: “Let us look at the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, which was reached through U.S. mediation in 1979, as a model to follow, turning a state of hostility, war, and a desire for revenge into lasting peace and mutual diplomatic relations.”