Middle East: Kazakhstan Joining Abraham Accords, Trump Announces
US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Kazakhstan is joining the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and Muslim-majority countries.
“Kazakhstan is the first country of my second term to join the Abraham Accords, the first of many,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Trump originally brokered the Abraham Accords in 2020 to foster peace and cooperation in the Middle East. Kazakhstan's participation is largely symbolic, as it already maintains full diplomatic and economic ties with Israel. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is currently in Washington for discussions with Trump.
Legal and Diplomatic Developments
An appeals court in The Hague recently rejected a request from pro-Palestinian activists to ban all weapons shipments from the Netherlands to Israel.
Pope Leo XVI also welcomed Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, to Rome, signaling ongoing diplomatic engagement.
Peace Proposals from Former Leaders
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa spoke with DW about their joint proposal for a peaceful two-state solution. The plan, first introduced last year, addresses both the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Both men initially came together to propose a peace plan to address Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza as well as the broader conflict between Israel and the Palestinians,” the interview summary noted.
This reflects ongoing efforts to find common ground to resolve long-standing tensions in the region.
Author's summary: Kazakhstan’s symbolic entry into the Abraham Accords reflects evolving Middle East diplomacy amid ongoing peace efforts and legal rulings impacting Israeli-Palestinian relations.