Abraham Accords: UAE–Israel Ties and Middle East Challenges
This paper examines the key challenges facing the Middle East following the Abraham Accords, with particular attention to two interrelated issues: the impact of UAE–Israel normalization on the UAE's reputation across the Arab world, and the threat posed by Iran's increasingly isolated and hostile position. The paper considers how Arab populations in countries such as Jordan have protested closer regional cooperation with Israel, while also noting the UAE's strong economic reputation and its metropolitan, globally oriented culture as factors enabling it to lead this diplomatic shift. It further analyzes Iran's likely responses — including nuclear ambitions and proxy conflicts — and argues that sustained dialogue and diplomacy are essential to long-term regional stability.
- Introduction: Two key post-Accords challenges: Arab skepticism and Iran
- The UAE's Reputation in the Arab World: UAE's standing amid Arab protests and economic strength
- The Iranian Challenge: Iran's isolation, nuclear ambitions, and regional hostility
- Conclusion: Diplomacy needed to sustain fragile Middle East progress
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its argument in current events and named sources, lending credibility to its claims about Arab public opinion and Iranian hostility.
- It balances competing perspectives — Arab skepticism, UAE optimism, and Iranian antagonism — without reducing any side to a caricature, giving the analysis nuance appropriate to the complexity of the topic.
- The contrast between the UAE's cosmopolitan, modernized identity and the more traditional attitudes found elsewhere in the Arab world is used effectively as an explanatory framework throughout the paper.
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates the use of multiple sourced perspectives to build a layered geopolitical argument. Rather than relying on a single analytical lens, the author triangulates between journalistic reports, think-tank commentary, and regional news to support each claim. This multi-source approach strengthens the paper's credibility and models how to synthesize diverse evidence into a coherent analytical narrative.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a framing introduction that identifies two core challenges — Arab skepticism and Iranian hostility. The second section addresses the UAE's reputation, combining evidence of popular protests with data on the UAE's economic strength and global standing. The third section focuses on Iran, tracing its sense of isolation and potential escalatory responses. A brief conclusion synthesizes the tensions and calls for diplomacy. This classic problem-analysis-conclusion structure is well-suited to a policy-oriented essay.
Introduction
Despite the Abraham Accords and the hopeful tone they represent in the Middle East, significant challenges remain. One challenge in particular is the question of acceptance of the UAE's new position with regard to Israel. While some Arabs are open to and supportive of the UAE's decision to formalize ties with Israel, many others reject this development as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. They continue to see Israel as a threat based on past actions and are unwilling to turn the page. This resistance is reflected in angry demonstrations such as those recently held in Jordan (Al Bawaba, 2021).
The other major challenge comes from Iran. Iran has long maintained a posture of hostility toward both Israel and the UAE. It has ties with Hamas and Hezbollah and has supported Assad in Syria. Iran has made no secret of its animosity toward Israel. For Arab states seeking friendlier relations with Israel, Iran remains a serious concern. What will Iran do if more Arab states turn toward Israel?
The UAE's Reputation in the Arab World
The UAE's reputation in the Arab world may suffer initially as a result of the Abraham Accords. Protests have already emerged as citizens of various Arab states react to the deepening ties and collaboration between Israel and the UAE. For instance, Al Bawaba (2021) reports that "activists started an 'open protest' in the Amman Interior Circle against the recent agreement signed between Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates on the latest ways to increase cooperation in the fields of energy and electricity." News of the joint agreement and letter of intent signed among these states also fueled anger among university students in Jordan: "news of the agreement sent protests among student bodies in Aal Al Bayt and Al Hashimiyah universities against the new accord. Students at the University of Jordan also protested at the main university campus" (Al Bawaba, 2021). This kind of protest indicates that Arab populations in some countries — such as Jordan — are not receptive to the deal the UAE has made with Israel. Jordan has had a limited relationship with Israel in the past, but the UAE's new agreement has created an opportunity for other Arab states to follow suit. The difficulty is that Arab populations in many of those states do not view Israel favorably. For this reason, the UAE's reputation in the Middle East may take a substantial blow, at least in the short term, as people process what is happening.
That said, the UAE has long enjoyed a favorable reputation in the region. It was ranked as the most reputable country in the Middle East as recently as 2018 (EMIC, 2018). The UAE's "national economy is in a 'strong position' and stands at 'high readiness' for the future," according to the UAE Media Office (The National, 2021). Since COVID-19 struck the world, the UAE has taken steps to reinforce its economic outlook, which has strengthened its standing in the eyes of other nations: "The UAE has spent billions of dirhams in economic stimulus measures to support businesses since the Covid-19 outbreak began last year. Business activity in the non-oil private sectors of the Arab world's second-biggest economy continued to improve in October, boosted by the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, a rise in tourism and increased spending amid the economic recovery" (The National, 2021).
Its economy, its growth, and its willingness to collaborate with other states have established it as a leader in the Arab world — and indeed across the globe, where it is regarded as a highly globalized state. As Medleva (2019) reports, "The United Arab Emirates can be rightfully termed a global phenomenon. In less than 50 years, the country has emerged from a sandy desert into a futuristic centre. It is an oasis, rich in history and traditions, but also embracing modernity." The UAE's transformation over half a century has impressed not only the Arab world but the international community at large, which explains why so many expatriates choose to live and work there: "With a population of over 9.5 million people, 80% of which come from around the world as expatriates, the country is known for its fascinating architecture, luxury resorts, golden beaches, expensive cars and desert safaris. However, these are not the only factors that allure hundreds of thousands of international investors each year. The United Arab Emirates' oil production, along with robust growth in other business sectors, has transformed the country into one of the Middle East's major economic powerhouses" (Medleva, 2019). By these measures, the UAE is clearly a leader in the region.
The challenge now is that the UAE's modernized culture may not reflect the traditional attitudes still held by significant portions of Arab populations elsewhere. The UAE has chosen to set aside old grievances and work more closely with Israel, which has broadly been viewed by Arab populations as an aggressor in the Israel–Palestine conflict. The UAE continues to support Palestinians, but it no longer does so by backing Hamas or Palestinian leadership that rejects negotiation. Instead, it has adopted an attitude of peace and collaboration in hopes of resolving the conflicts between Israel and its neighbors. Other Arabs view this as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause — but the hope is that over time they will come to see that the UAE is pursuing the right course, and that working together with Israel offers a path to peace that can harmonize the region and allow all parties to coexist.
So far, few Arab states have followed the UAE in formalizing relations with Israel. Yet as time passes, it is likely that more will recognize the benefits of the UAE's demonstration of goodwill. It is already rumored that Saudi Arabia would like to follow suit. However, the challenge there — as in Jordan and elsewhere — is that Arab publics may protest and create political difficulties for their governments. The UAE is distinctive in that it has culturally prepared its population for this shift, and its citizens largely appear to support it. They welcome increased tourism ties with Israel and favor closer integration on matters of energy, trade, security, technology, and agriculture, seeing these as mutually beneficial. Arab populations in other Middle Eastern states have not been guided through the same cultural evolution, and that gap may represent the central challenge going forward.
The UAE is a highly metropolitan state, with people from across the world living and working within its borders. Other Arab states lack that same level of cosmopolitan exposure. But if their leaders begin to invest in development and cultural openness, the future may show that the Arab world's regard for the UAE has grown since the Abraham Accords — despite the initial controversy surrounding them.
Conclusion
The Abraham Accords have marked an important turning point in the Middle East, but challenges remain. Many Arabs are still skeptical of the UAE and its new ties with Israel, while others support the move. There is also the issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions and what actions it may take as normalization between Israel and Arab states advances. Feeling isolated in the Middle East, Iran could grow more desperate — and that desperation could lead to heightened tension and conflict. The future may yet be bright for the region, but considerable challenges persist with respect to deep-seated cultural biases and long-standing antipathies that will not be resolved overnight.
References
Al Bawaba. (2021). Protesters slam the Jordan, UAE and Israel accord on water and energy. Retrieved from https://www.albawaba.com/news/protesters-slam-jordan-uae-and-israel-accord-water-and-energy-1456174
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Medleva, V. (2019). Economy of the UAE: from a sandy desert into a global phenomenon. Retrieved from https://capital.com/economy-of-the-uae
Mousavizadeh, M. (2021). Can Iran stop Israel's normalization with the Muslim world? Retrieved from
The National. (2021). UAE economy in 'strong position' and growing, minister says. Retrieved from https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2021/11/07/uae-economy-in-strong-position-and-has-entered-growth-phase-minister-says/
Strategy Page. (2020). Iraq: Iran forgets where Abraham came from. Retrieved from https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/iraq/articles/20210929.aspx
Thardak, V. (2021). Iraq may be next country to sign the Abraham Accords. Retrieved from https://tfiglobalnews.com/2021/09/26/iraq-may-be-next-country-to-sign-the-abraham-accords/
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