New Country to Join Abraham Accords
The United States is expected to announce on November 6 that a new nation will join the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic agreement normalizing ties with Israel, according to President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Announcement Details
"I'm flying back to Washington tonight because we're going to announce, tonight, another country coming into the Abraham Accords," Witkoff said at the America Business Forum in Miami.
When asked which country would join, Witkoff responded, "I don't know if it's out yet."
Candidate Country: Kazakhstan
The Axios news site identified the new member as Kazakhstan, a Central Asian republic that has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel for decades. Kazakhstan is reportedly joining to help "reinvigorate" the Abraham Accords.
Kazakhstan's president is among five Central Asian leaders scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House in November.
Background of the Abraham Accords
During Trump's first term, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords in 2020.
Saudi Arabia had been negotiating normalization, a significant step given its status as the custodian of Islam's two holiest sites. However, talks stalled after the conflict in Gaza following Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.
"Saudi Arabia has long insisted it cannot normalize ties without progress toward an independent Palestinian state," a condition opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This development reflects shifting dynamics in Middle East diplomacy amid ongoing regional tensions.
Author's summary: A new country, likely Kazakhstan, is poised to join the Abraham Accords, aiming to boost the normalization of relations with Israel amid complex regional challenges.