Monday marks the five-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords, though it’s unlikely to be a moment of celebration in the Gulf.
Israel’s attack on Hamas negotiators in Doha has brought the region together in its criticism of the country. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed visited the Qatari emir on Wednesday, and a day later, Qatar’s leader attended funeral prayers for those killed in the strike. His foreign minister questioned whether Israel’s plan to “redraw” the map of the Middle East also applied to the Gulf.
Bloomberg, citing analysts and diplomats, reported that the attack undermined US President Donald Trump’s strategy of weakening Iran by integrating Israel into the region. It may even push Gulf states closer to Tehran, “rejecting what they see as an increasingly hegemonic Israel, whose aggressive military posture they believe will destabilize the region.”
For now, Gulf reactions have been mostly verbal posturing. But there’s a growing chill: Israeli companies — welcomed at the Dubai Air Show two years ago — were this week barred from the event’s upcoming edition.