New Breakthrough Talks Signal Expansion of Abraham Accords—Which Countries Are Poised to Normalize Relations Next?

WASHINGTON—The Abraham Accords, the 2020 normalization framework between Israel and several Arab states, appear poised for a new chapter after U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff signaled “pretty big announcements” are on the horizon. Diplomatic sources tell Fox News and The Times of Israel that discussions now extend to countries “not previously contemplated,” with Syria, Lebanon and, critically, Saudi Arabia floated as potential signees. If realized, the expansion would transform the regional balance, bringing Israel into formal relations with states that have historically been on opposing sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Momentum behind the push reportedly stems from parallel talks aimed at ending the eight-month Gaza war. According to Jewish Insider, former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have tentatively agreed on a post-war roadmap that pairs a two-state vision with a wider Abraham Accords rollout—leveraging reconstruction funds and security guarantees as incentives for Arab capitals to join. Economic dividends remain a central selling point. Since the Accords were signed, bilateral trade between Israel and the original signatories—United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan—has climbed above $3 billion, even amid regional turbulence. Analysts at Tel Aviv University project that accession by Saudi Arabia alone could triple that figure, funneling capital into renewable-energy corridors stretching from the Negev to the Arabian Desert. Yet formidable hurdles persist. Damascus seeks U.S. sanctions relief, Beirut demands clarity over disputed maritime borders, and Riyadh still conditions normalization on tangible movement toward a Palestinian state. “We’re witnessing a delicate dance,” says Dr. Maya Davies, a Gulf security expert. “Each capital wants the economic upside of the Abraham Accords, but none can afford domestic backlash if Palestinian aspirations are sidelined.” On Capitol Hill, bipartisan interest is rising. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) returned this week from a regional tour focused on expanding the pact, emphasizing that a broader coalition could help isolate Iran and curb proxy militias. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are drafting an incentives package—dubbed the Middle East Prosperity Act—that would unlock loan guarantees for any new signatory committing to shared air-defense networks. Regional airlines and tech firms are already positioning themselves. Emirates and El Al confirmed they are “contingency-planning” direct flights to Riyadh pending official clearance, while Israel’s Mobileye announced exploratory talks with Saudi sovereign wealth officials to expand autonomous-vehicle testing zones. What happens next hinges on Gaza cease-fire negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Diplomats familiar with the talks say a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, monitored by a U.S.-led multinational observer mission, could trigger a synchronized announcement from at least two Arab states by late summer. If successful, the Abraham Accords 2.0 would mark the biggest diplomatic realignment in the Middle East since the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty—resetting security architectures, unlocking billions in cross-border investment and offering a potential pathway to de-escalate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The coming weeks will reveal whether the momentum built in back-channel rooms can overcome decades of distrust and deliver what architects of the original agreement call “a new Middle East built on cooperation, not confrontation.”