In September, Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed the Abraham Accords at a ceremony at the White House. The UAE became the first Gulf nation to establish formal diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel since Egypt in 1980, and Jordan in 1994, joining in the quest for peace in the Middle East. Given that the UAE and Israel are both modernizing forces with Western interests, the Abraham Accords can profoundly change the nature of geopolitics in the Middle East. Rumors have been swirling indicating other Arab nations seeking to normalize relations with Israel, signifying the broader ripple effect that the Accords have instigated.
Although many consider the newfound partnership between Israel and the UAE unfounded, both nations share similarities in terms of their geopolitical outlooks. For example, both countries share a common enemy—Iran. The two nations are growing increasingly concerned about Iran’s expanding prowess in the region, and have worked to undermine the country’s influence. Although the Abraham Accords focus on tourism, trade, technology, and non-military areas of cooperation, it could also encourage broader military collaboration that could solidify anti-Iran efforts. Iran is very aware of the potential threat the new agreement poses, in fact, leaders of the Persian nation did not react favorably to news of the deal, especially as other Gulf nations like Bahrain have followed suit. Even Saudi Arabia is expected to join the new alliance. The newly minted partnership between the UAE and Israel could shift the balance of power in the Middle East in favor of Iran’s enemies, catalyzing significant changes across the region.
Both the UAE and Israel have strong relationships with the U.S., and they are two of the largest purchasers of U.S. military equipment. Greater collaboration between the two countries could deepen these ties even further. In some ways, this shift has already begun. Shortly after signing the Accords, the UAE expressed interest in purchasing F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. and the well-known Iron Dome missile defense system from Israel. If these deals go through, then the UAE would become the second Middle Eastern nation to own the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft, helping to mitigate the threat of Iran’s ballistic missiles and other regional threats.
Further, both the UAE and Israel have invested heavily in combating terrorism in the region, particularly radical Islamic elements such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the UAE has developed a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism in the region. The Gulf nation also sent troops to Afghanistan to support U.S. efforts in the country. Both the UAE and Israel also seek to undermine Hamas and Hezbollah, which both receive support from Iran. Since the Accords, UAE counter-terrorism advisors have encouraged the government to pool its resources with Israel to enhance its efforts in the region. In this way, the Abraham Accords could pave the way for greater collaboration in the counter-terrorism arena.
The UAE and Israel also share many similarities when it comes to the commercial and business sectors. Both countries are well-known for their leadership in business, innovation, and technology. A Forbes ranking indicated that the UAE is considered the most active startup ecosystem in the Middle East, with 33 of the 50 most-funded startups headquartered in the emirates. In addition to growing investment and interest in technology and digital resources, the country offers a high quality of life, robust educational opportunities, professional development prospects, and a legal environment that supports businesses, all of which are attractive to potential founders and developers. Similarly, Bloomberg’s 2020 ranking of innovative states placed Israel at 6th in the world. The country is a world leader in R&D expenditures, with 4.3% of the GDP spent annually. Israel is also home to 10.5% of all global AI startups. Before the Accords were signed, the two regional powers began collaborating on the development of technology that would help combat COVID-19. Now that the states have a formal cooperation agreement, joint efforts such as these are sure to continue and grow.
For some, the normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel was unexpected. However, the two nations share numerous political and economic similarities. For this reason, the new partnership will elicit numerous changes across the Middle East, particularly in terms of geopolitical influence, military cooperation, and commercial progress. As a result, the alliance between the UAE and Israel is sure to last for years to come and is set to promote greater stability and prosperity in the Middle East.
