Gulf countries tend to be cautious, and they care about protocol, respect, and ceremony - they don’t want to be seen as being used. They want to feel like partners.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa told Fox News that one of the issues preventing talks is Israel's "occupation" of the Golan Heights.
"The most important thing [is] it will 'bring to life' the issue of the Abraham Accords, ahead of more countries joining," a source with knowledge of the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
The denial directly contradicts reports in Israeli and regional media that preparations were underway for a landmark visit in the coming days.
Zayed will emphasize the UAE’s commitment to the Abraham Accords as a cornerstone for a better future in the region, while also underscoring the UAE’s deep concern over recent Israeli actions.
Between 2021 and 2024, trade between Israel and Abraham Accords Partners increased by 127%, Asher Freedman, who was involved in the accords from the onset, said.
Ghanem Nuseibeh, a UK-based expert, says that the Accords have suffered due to the October 7 war and the continued war; however, things could change for the better in the future.
This comes after a similar warning from the UAE, which stated that any annexation would be a red flag that could lead his country to exit the Abraham Accords.
As part of the Abraham Accords, inked in 2020 and 2021 during Trump's first term in office, four Muslim-majority countries agreed to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel after US mediation.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s White House visit, a leading US rabbi urges adding Azerbaijan to the Abraham Accords as a key ally to deter Iran and spark wider Muslim participation.
"When the president [Trump] met with the new president of Syria [Ahmed al-Sharaa] that was one of the requests that [Trump] made; for Syria to sign on to the Abraham Accords," Leavitt said.
