AJC’s Abraham Accords 5th Anniversary Commemoration Event

To mark the Abraham Accords’ fifth anniversary, American Jewish Committee’s Center for a New Middle East hosted a special event on Capitol Hill, bringing together a bipartisan group of lawmakers, diplomats, and experts to reflect on the achievements and challenges of the Accords and look toward a more peaceful, integrated region.

AJC's Abraham Accords 5th Anniversary Commemoration: 5 Key Takeaways

1. Abraham Accords Fosters Bipartisanship

Over the past five years, the Abraham Accords has helped to foster and generate bipartisanship in Congress. Lawmakers highlighted how legislation inspired by the Accords continues to strengthen ties between Israel and Arab states, promoting shared strategic interests, economic growth, and regional stability.

Senator James Lankford (R-OK), co-chair of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, stressed that support for Israel and the Accords transcends party lines. “I'm working to push aside politics and say for generations, we've got to maintain the issue of friendship and relationship with Israel as a nonpartisan issue…We need to work to bring normalization to the area.”

Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) reinforced this point, highlighting the importance of revitalizing bipartisan legislation such as the Regional Integration and Normalization Act, which sought to establish a comprehensive framework for economic engagement with Accords countries and key partners. The bill, which was introduced shortly before October 7, 2023 and did not move forward in Congress, also authorized programs that bring Israelis and Arabs together across sectors like energy, technology, agriculture, and youth engagement. “We have to build legislation for the long haul. That means it has to be bipartisan. It can’t just fly with the whim of the day. The more people you get on, the more solid it is, and the more important it becomes.”

Since the Accords’ launch, U.S.-backed initiatives have sought to fund joint research projects, business incubators, and people-to-people programs connecting students, entrepreneurs, and civil society leaders. This bipartisan approach has helped sustain momentum even during periods of regional tension, proving that durable peace and cooperation are possible when lawmakers focus on shared values rather than politics.

2. The Accords Are More Than Paper Agreements

The Abraham Accords have established practical frameworks for diplomacy, trade, and cultural exchange, moving beyond symbolic agreements to create a measurable impact. Partnerships in agriculture, technology, healthcare, and defense are delivering tangible benefits for both the U.S. and the region. These practical initiatives, combined with robust people-to-people and economic engagement—through student programs, business collaborations, and cultural exchanges—have helped the Accords weather the challenges of the past two years, including regional tensions and conflict.

“This is why trade agreements in Israel and the UAE are booming, driving innovation in clean energy, healthcare, and technology. Morocco and Israel are collaborating on climate and smart agriculture. Bahrain and Israel are growing their business and security ties,” said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL).

These initiatives create networks of trust and cooperation that extend into civil society and the private sector. This infrastructure allowed dialogue and collaboration to continue even during crises, including the October 7 attacks and the subsequent Gaza war.

“The prospects from the Gulf to the Mediterranean and having a cohesive economy in which there is greater trade, there is greater tourism, there is greater security, is possible, but only if we continue to lead, and the Abraham Accords are the path forward,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) emphasized.

• Since the Accords’ signing in 2020, UAE-Israel trade volume has grown from zero to over $3 billion annually.
• Joint tech and innovation initiatives between the UAE and Israel have launched incubators and accelerators, fostering regional startups.
• Morocco and Israel have expanded agricultural technology collaborations, including water management and climate-smart crop projects.
• Bahrain-Israel partnerships now include cybersecurity and defense cooperation, highlighting the broad scope and ongoing impact of the Accords.

3. Deepening Defense and Security

A key focus of the Abraham Accords is strengthening defense and security cooperation across the region. Lawmakers highlighted the need to build robust mechanisms that deter adversaries, protect U.S. interests, and enhance the capabilities of Israel and its Arab partners.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) outlined this vision clearly: “The next phase of the Abraham Accords should focus on deepening defense coordination to counter Iran and its proxies, who really are at their weakest point in recent memory."

She added: “We should build an integrated air and missile defense network that shares early warning and expand joint air defense and maritime coordination from the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea. So U.S. shipping and crews are safer….This strengthens Israel's qualitative military edge, deters Iran and its proxies, and safeguards U.S. citizens, diplomats, and service members.” Both the DEFEND and MARITIME Acts, which have been signed into law, carry out these initiatives. 

By deepening coordination—from shared early-warning networks to integrated air and missile defense systems—the Accords’ partners can respond more quickly to threats, enhance deterrence, and gradually reduce their reliance on U.S. forces.

According to Dana Stroul, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the Abraham Accords have also shifted perspectives on Israeli defensive actions that have led to degrading Iran and its terror proxies in the region, while also opening up new opportunities for peace.

“What is remarkable to me, five years after the Abraham Accords and two years after October 7th, there's no question that there is significant criticism of Israel, especially for its operations in Gaza…there's not a lot of criticism of Israel that I'm hearing for setting back Iran's nuclear program…degrading Hezbollah…for degrading the Iranian and Russian support for Bashar Assad.”

4. Congress Plays a Critical Role in Driving Impact

U.S. lawmakers continue to be central to turning the Abraham Accords from agreements on paper into tangible outcomes across the Middle East. Beyond fostering diplomatic ties, several members of Congress spoke about their initiatives that enhance security, promote economic cooperation, and support civil society engagement in the region.

“Five years after the Abraham Accords were signed, it is critically important that we continue to promote them, that we continue to strengthen them. It is one of my top priorities…to end the reign of terror that has consumed the Middle East for so long,” Rep. Mike Lawler said. Lawler, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, noted that he is working to ensure that Arab-Israeli partnerships continue to grow despite regional turbulence.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, citing her DEFEND Act, LINK Act, and STARS Act and also new legislation she is working on, such as the DEFEND Act 2.0, which aims to address gaps in air and missile defense systems and enhance security collaboration with Israel and other partners of the Abraham Accords. “Presence is power, and I’ve seen that demonstrated time and time again, the way I do this now in my role…we take the Abraham Accords countries and we pull them together with military cooperation and information sharing.” Her work exemplifies how Congress leverages legislation, military partnerships, and diplomatic engagement to reinforce the strategic foundations of the Accords.

5. The Abraham Accords As a Model for the Future

Five years on, the Abraham Accords show that diplomacy built on trust, shared values, and sustained engagement can endure even in the midst of regional conflict. The Accords have not only opened pathways for economic, technological, and cultural cooperation between Israel and its Arab partners but have also created a new vision for regional cooperation, understanding, and peace. “It is remarkable to think about two years after October 7th, there are real leaders in Damascus and Beirut who say the word Israel, who will coordinate with Israelis, who will contemplate the idea of maybe not normalization, but something—this is, this is significant. And Saudi Arabia has not actually taken normalization off the table,” said the Washington Institute’s Dana Stoul. 

During the conference, AJC’s Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, Jason Isaacson stressed “We launched the Center for a New Middle East in an effort to expand on the work AJC has been committed to for decades - not just the 30 plus years that I have been working on this, but going back to the 1950’s and 60’s when AJC had delegations to Morocco and Tunisia and other places in the Arab world. To bring people together, to recognize the commonalities, the benefits of cooperation…”

In his closing speech, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter stressed that, “..we have the possibility… It's difficult because we are in the battlefield now. It's hard to raise your head and see the sunlight because the war is not over. But it is going to be over soon. And when it's over, we are going to be able to see the path forward.” 

The fifth anniversary of the Abraham Accords comes at a pivotal moment. Israel is still reeling from the October 7, 2023, massacre and the ongoing captivity of 48 hostages by Hamas—events that have ensured continued conflict in Gaza and brought devastating consequences for Palestinian civilians 

While peace may feel distant, the Abraham Accords remind us that with courageous leadership and bold vision, the Middle East can chart a new path forward.

Watch Clips from the Program

• Sen. Joni Ernst on Abraham Accords, U.S.-Israel Relations & Middle East Security
• Five Years On: Israeli Envoy Says ‘Abraham Accords 2.0’ Is Key to Lasting Peace
• Sen. Jacky Rosen on the Abraham Accords: Bipartisan Action & Middle East Peace
• Bipartisanship & the Abraham Accords: Sen. Lankford on U.S. Policy, Israel, and Regional Peace
• Rep. Mike Lawler on Strengthening the Abraham Accords
• Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on the Abraham Accords’ Impact and What’s Next
• Rep. Brad Schneider: Abraham Accords at 5, Gaza Recovery & the Future of Middle East Cooperation