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War on the Rocks ·Behind the news

Wrong Audience, Wrong Ask: Why Trump’s Abraham Accords Gambit Falls on Deaf Ears

by H. A. Hellyer

Published 2026-06-04 07:15:24+00:00

Why does Washington keep treating the Middle East as if it has no memory of its own?

0:00 / 11:37 · Narrator Sulafat

Context

When President Trump demanded Arab states join the Abraham Accords to end the Iran war, he was met with silence. In this piece published on 4 June 2026, H.A. Hellyer explains why that quiet response was entirely predictable. The essay holds up months later because it identifies a stubborn American blind spot. Washington habitually treats Middle Eastern countries as passive variables in an American equation, ignoring the reality that these nations have their own strict strategic boundaries.

Show notes

An analysis of the Trump administration’s push to make expanding the Abraham Accords a condition for ending the Iran war. By outlining the political realities of Arab and Muslim states, the author explains why regional leaders are rejecting demands to normalize relations with Israel. The argument shows how ignoring the requirement for Palestinian statehood and the destruction in Gaza is driving Gulf nations toward security pacts less dependent on Washington.

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