The Abraham Accords between Israel and its Arab neighbors are a natural outcome of recent trends in the Middle East. During much of the 20th century, Israel was perceived by the Middle Eastern powers as the main enemy, and several wars were fought in the name of defending Palestine. However, the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the 2003 Iraq War, and Arab Spring uprisings shifted power centers and regional priorities. For many Arab states, curbing Iranian influence, focusing on economic and political domestic issues, and countering violent extremist organizations have taken precedence. Indeed, some Arab rulers have come to perceive Israel as a potential ally. This lecture will provide a historical context of Israel’s relations with its Arab neighbors and analyze how recent trends have shifted regional priorities. It will conclude with observations about the latest agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, and how they will impact the region.

Michael Sharnoff is Associate Professor at the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. Prior to joining NESA, he served as Associate Professor of Middle East Studies and Director of Regional Studies at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security. While at DMGS, Dr. Sharnoff taught graduate courses on the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arab Spring uprisings, and radical Islamist movements. He publishes frequently on the Middle East and his articles have appeared in popular domestic and international media outlets. He is the founder of Sharnoff’s Global Views, an op-ed forum on foreign affairs. He holds a Ph.D. in Middle East Studies from King’s College, London, and is the author of Nasser’s Peace: Egypt’s Response to the 1967 War with Israel (Routledge, 2017).

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