Why Gulf Allies Are Threatening to Dump the Abraham Accords
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have issued a coordinated warning to Israel: Annexing Judean and Samarian territories could "torpedo" the Abraham Accords and permanently block normalization with Saudi Arabia. The Gulf nations warn that such a move would play directly into Iran's hands.
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Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have delivered a coordinated warning to Israel that any annexation of territories in Judea and Samaria could torpedo the Abraham Accords and permanently block the possibility of Saudi-Israeli normalization.
The stark ultimatum emerged from a high-level meeting between UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to reporting by journalist Roi Kais on Kan News.
UAE Threatens to Walk Away from Abraham Accords
The most immediate threat comes from the Emirates, which has reportedly told Israel it would withdraw from the Abraham Accords if Jerusalem moves forward with annexing parts of Judea and Samaria. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have aligned their positions on what they're calling a "red line" issue that could reshape Middle East diplomacy.
According to the report, this isn't just diplomatic posturing - it represents a coordinated Gulf strategy that could leave Israel more isolated in the region just as it's trying to expand its circle of Arab partners.
Saudi Source: "This Serves Iran's Interests"
A Saudi royal source was particularly blunt about the implications, warning that Israeli annexation moves would "seal the coffin" on prospects for Saudi-Israeli normalization - a prize that both Washington and Jerusalem have been eagerly pursuing.
But the Saudi source went further, delivering what amounts to a strategic warning: carrying out such moves would serve the interests of Iran and Hamas, who are keen to prevent ties between Israel and Arab states.
In other words, from the Saudi perspective, Israeli annexation would be playing right into Iran's hands - giving Tehran exactly what it wants by derailing Arab-Israeli cooperation.
High Stakes Diplomatic Chess
The coordinated UAE-Saudi warning comes at a delicate moment in Middle East diplomacy. Israel has been riding high on the success of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. Adding Saudi Arabia to that list would be a massive diplomatic victory.
But the Gulf nations are making clear that territorial moves in Judea and Samaria could undo years of progress toward regional integration. They're essentially telling Israel it has to choose: expand settlements or expand alliances, but not both.
Iran's Regional Strategy at Play
The Saudi characterization of annexation as serving "Iran's interests" reveals how Gulf leaders view the regional chess game. From their perspective, anything that fractures Arab-Israeli cooperation hands a victory to Tehran, which has been working to maintain Arab hostility toward Israel.
Iran has consistently opposed Arab normalization with Israel, viewing it as a threat to its own regional influence and its strategy of using the Palestinian issue to rally support across the Muslim world.
The Abraham Accords Crossroads
This ultimatum puts the Abraham Accords at a potential crossroads. The agreements were hailed as historic breakthroughs that could reshape Middle East politics by creating a coalition of interests against Iran. But the Gulf nations are now making clear that there are limits to how far that cooperation can go if Israel continues territorial expansion.
For Israel, the choice is becoming starker: pursue immediate territorial gains in Judea and Samaria, or invest in long-term strategic partnerships with Arab nations that could provide security and economic benefits for decades to come.
The Gulf message is crystal clear - you can't have both, and choosing annexation would be giving Iran exactly what it wants: a fractured and weakened anti-Tehran coalition.