By Editorial Dept - May 29, 2026, 6:30 AM CDT
Trump is now openly using normalization with Israel as leverage in Iran negotiations, putting the 2020 Abraham Accords back in the spotlight. But today, the region doesn’t look the same as it did six years ago. And Gulf leaders no longer view Washington, or Israel, in the same light. The UAE has doubled down on security coordination with Israel, including reported joint defense cooperation during the war itself. Saudi Arabia is moving further away from Israel and instead deepening security coordination with Turkey, Pakistan, and Egypt. Trump seems to believe ending or freezing the Iran war gives him leverage to demand political concessions from Gulf states in return; however, the underlying assumption here appears to be disconnected from regional realities. Saudi officials have repeatedly stated they will not normalize ties with Israel without Palestinian statehood, and public opinion inside the kingdom has hardened dramatically since the Gaza war and the broader regional escalation. The view is that the U.S. dragged the region into a conflict without protecting its partners. But what it’s also about is throwing Netanyahu a bone as he pounds Lebanon (risking another Gaza) in retaliation for Trump’s attempt to end the conflict without destroying Iran. Trump needs a broader political victory in order to sell an Iran agreement to Israel hawks inside Washington, as well. Expanding the Abraham Accords allows the administration to repackage any ceasefire or…
