Abu Dhabi: Hailed as a breakthrough in Middle East diplomacy, the Abraham Accords are now facing its serious test. Signed in September 2020, during Donald Trump’s first term as the U.S. president, the deal restored formal relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates. For years, the agreement symbolised a new era of cooperation and cautious optimism in the Gulf. Today, however, clouds of tension are gathering.
Axios reports that the UAE has formally warned America that Israel’s plans to annex vast areas of the Palestinian West Bank could seriously damage the accord. Abu Dhabi has unequivocally told the Trump administration that if Israel moves ahead, the U.S.-brokered deal could lose its credibility, and Trump’s hopes of extending the agreement’s impact would weaken.
Tel Aviv is reportedly planning to assert control over large swathes of the West Bank by the end of this month.
Analysts see this move as a reaction to Western recognition of Palestine as a state. Within Washington, only President Trump is seen as having sufficient influence to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from pursuing the annexation plan.
The UAE’s warning is thus aimed at sending a direct signal: the Abraham Accords and the broader U.S. regional strategy could unravel if annexation proceeds unchecked.
The Gulf state has called the West Bank a “red line”. Emirati officials have made it clear that any Israeli annexation would violate the spirit of the accord, undermining years of delicate diplomacy.
According to a senior UAE official, the move would signal the death knell for the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a solution Emirates has long supported.
The Palestinian Authority has welcomed the UAE’s position, describing it as a principled stance in favour of peace.
Israel, on the other hand, has not commented publicly. Within Netanyahu’s coalition, hardliners are openly advocating annexation. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, representing the far-right bloc, recently proposed claiming as much as four-fifths of the West Bank.
The historical context highlights the stakes. After the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Over the decades, it has established roughly 160 settlements, now home to more than 700,000 Israeli Jews. These settlements occupy land Palestinians consider part of their future state, alongside Gaza. Around 3.3 million Palestinians live in these areas. International law deems most settlements illegal, making annexation not only politically sensitive but legally contentious.
For the UAE, the warning is more than diplomatic rhetoric. It reflects the fragility of the Abraham Accords and the complex web of regional relations. Gulf nations invested heavily in the agreement, seeking both economic opportunities and strategic stability. Annexation could unravel years of progress and trigger a broader regional backlash.
The situation also places pressure on the Trump administration. While the US president remains a strong supporter of Israel, his role as mediator is under scrutiny. The UAE warning serves as a reminder that even allies expect careful diplomacy and that unilateral moves in the West Bank could carry high costs.
As Israel weighs its next steps, the Middle East watches closely. The accord may have opened a door to new partnerships, but the coming weeks will reveal whether that door remains open or closes under the weight of territorial ambition.