Six years after President Donald Trump launched the Abraham Accords, Jared Kushner marked the anniversary Thursday by declaring that the Middle East is once again at an “inflection point” and arguing that the region has an opportunity to build on the historic normalization agreements and “do it again.”
“Six years ago, President Trump launched the Abraham Accords and opened a new chapter of peace, partnership, and prosperity in the Middle East,” Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a key architect of the agreements, wrote on X.
“Many said it was impossible,” he continued. “But with courageous leadership, persistence, and a small group of people willing to challenge old assumptions, we proved that the impossible could be achieved.”
Kushner said the agreements represented a break from decades of conventional thinking that had left the region “trapped by old ideas and failed frameworks that managed conflict rather than solved it, and too often created incentives that perpetuated division and instability.”
“The idea behind the Abraham Accords was simple: instead of reinforcing the things that divide people, build bonds that bring them together,” he wrote, pointing to greater understanding, expanded trade and investment, deeper security cooperation, and tangible benefits that give countries and their people “a stake in peace.”
Kushner said that approach has since produced “billions in trade, joint innovation, new friendships and partnerships,” before turning from the accords’ record to what he described as another potential opening for the region.
“The Middle East is once again at an inflection point,” he wrote. “There are breakthrough opportunities today that many will say are impossible. But we have seen what can happen when leaders reject conventional thinking, focus on common interests, and have the courage to pursue a better future.”
“The Abraham Accords showed that a different path is possible,” Kushner continued. “Now we have an opportunity to build an even broader movement around cooperation, shared prosperity and security—and replace the failed ideas of the past with a new model that gives people across the region something better to believe in and build toward.”
“We surprised the world once,” he concluded. “With the right leadership, focus, patience and courage, I believe we can do it again.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog responded to Kushner by crediting Trump and his team for forging the agreements and joining his call to expand them.
“The 6th anniversary of the Abraham Accords, forged by your team under President Trump’s leadership, is an important milestone for peace in the Middle East,” Herzog wrote.
“It is a moment to reflect on the remarkable partnerships that we have built across our region,” Herzog continued. “It is also a moment to look to the future and chart the road ahead together.”
“I firmly believe that this is just the beginning,” he added. “Now is the time for us all to work to expand this circle of peace across the Middle East to the benefit of all our peoples.”
Trump has also repeatedly called for expanding the Abraham Accords, telling Breitbart News at the G7 in June that he expected additional countries to join and pointing to the agreements’ durability during the war with Iran.
“Do you notice that even during that period of conflict, nobody dropped out? Nobody said, ‘Oh, gee, I’m going to drop out.’ Nobody,” Trump said.
“I think they’re all going to come in now into the Abraham Accords,” he added. “The only conflict was a place called Iran, and I understand that. It’s a little bit tough when people were afraid of Iran. But I think they’re going to all start coming in.”
The relationship between Israel and the UAE deepened considerably during the conflict, with Israel reportedly deploying an Iron Dome battery, interceptors, and dozens of IDF personnel to the UAE to help defend it against Iranian missile and drone attacks. Subsequent reporting indicated the Emiratis also carried out strikes against Iran in close coordination with Israel and the United States.
Trump has continued to press for expansion since then. Late last month, he said approval of a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement would be “totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.” The prospect of Saudi-Israeli normalization was also discussed days later during Trump’s White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, established normalization between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020, with Morocco subsequently normalizing relations with Israel and Sudan joining the broader accords process.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.